NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. - The top two seeds in the 2008 Little East Conference Women's Tennis Championship Tournament each won this afternoon in semifinal action to advance to the championship round. Top-seeded UMass Dartmouth defeated fourth-seeded Western Connecticut State University (5-2), while second-seeded Bridgewater State College swept third-seeded Rhode Island College, 5-0.

The Corsairs will host the Bears in the championship match at 1 p.m. on Oct. 19 at the UMass Dartmouth Athletic Complex. The victor will advance to the NCAA Division III Tournament as the Little East Conference automatic qualifier later this Spring. Earlier this season, UMass Dartmouth edged Bridgewater State, 5-4, in Bridgewater on Oct. 4.

UMass Dartmouth (14-1) won two of the three doubles matches. Sophomore Amy Lopes (Dartmouth, Mass.), who combined with senior Becky Bullock (Wrentham, Mass.) to defeat sophomores Justine Perna (Burlington, Conn.) and Lauren Post (Danbury, Conn.) at top-flight doubles, then defeated Perna at No. 1singles, 6-1, 6-1, to make it 3-1. Post defeated Bullock at second-singles, 6-4, 6-1 to cut the deficit to 3-2. Sophomore Alexa Fiorita (Reading, Mass.) downed sophomore Brittany DiMauro (Torrington, Conn.) at fifth singles, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 to make it 4-2, and freshman Kelsey Grossmann (Holliston, Mass.)downed junior Brittany Hoyack (Old Lyme, Conn.) to clinch the match. Saturday's matches were terminated as soon as one team accumulated five points.

Bridgewater State (12-3) won all three doubles. Junior Catarina Rosa (Fall River, Mass.) of the Bears defeated sophomore Kim Field (Barrington, R.I.) at fourth singles, 6-1, 6-0, and junior Paulina Ucher (Webster, Mass.) downed freshman Gabriela Batek (Greenville, R.I.) at No. 5 singles, 6-2, 6-1 to give Bridgewater State the 5-0 decision.

UMass Dartmouth 5, Western Connecticut 2
Oct 18, 2008 at North Dartmouth, MA (UMD Athletic Complex)

Bridgewater State 5, Rhode Island College 0
Oct 18, 2008 at North Dartmouth, MA (UMD Athletic Complex)