Winter Park, Fla. – Lynn University's fifth-ranked women's tennis team lost to seventh-ranked Saint Leo, 5-4, in the semifinals of the Sunshine State Conference Tournament on Friday afternoon. It is only the second time in the programs rich tradition that the team is absent from the finals. The Fighting Knights have appeared in 15 of the 17 championship matches with a league-best 10 SSC titles. With the loss Lynn drops to 21-3 on the season and becomes 22-3 all-time against the Lions.

"The girls did an amazing job to get to this point, they represent Lynn in the best way possible," said Head Coach Mike Perez. In 25 seasons under the direction of Perez, the Fighting Knights have amassed 530 wins. 

Doubles action went in the Lions' favor with the Blue & White down 2-1 heading into singles play. Lynn got the first point of the day, when Valentine Confalonieri and Rosalie Willig defeated their Saint Leo counterparts Pauline Helgesson and Paula Montoya, 8-1, in the top spot of the lineup.

No. 2 and No. 3 doubles went down in order as Alina Jane and Kim Przeszlowski fell to Laura Kemkes and Anastasia Wagner, 8-2. Aleks Vukadinovic and Andrea Berkova had their second 9-7 final in as many days, this time on the losing side as Maria Benkirane and Adrianna Daszkiewicz ousted them to conclude doubles play.   

After only one set of singles play in which she lost 6-1, 36th-ranked Berkova had to retire at the three spot due to injury. Top-ranked Confalonieri was the first full game to finish, defeating Coralie Pesenti 6-2, 6-1, for the Blue & White to trail 3-2. Lynn knotted the score up at 3-3 when 46th-ranked Willig continued her solid play at the No. 2 singles spot, replacing the injured Ioana Ivan, with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Kemkes.

Saint Leo retook the lead when Jane fell in the fourth slot 6-2, 6-3, to Wagner. Vukadinovic provided the Fighting Knights with an equalizing victory with identical sets, 6-2, 6-2, over Daszkiewicz in the six spot. The match concluded with Przeszlowski falling 6-3, 7-5 to Montoya on the No. 5 court. 

"Now we are looking onward to the NCAA Tournament," Perez added. Fans log on to LynnFightingKnights.com to find out the fate of Lynn's women's tennis program for the NCAA Division II Tournament. Don't forget to 'Like' us on Facebook and follow @LUKnights on Twitter and Instagram.