The North Eastern Athletic Conference Men's & Women's Tennis Playoffs have a bit of a different look this season, as the postseason is typically held at a neutral location for all qualifying teams. However, this season, the highest remaining seed will host the match, and that is great news for the Lancaster Bible College tennis teams, as each will host at least a NEAC Semifinal match, if not the NEAC Final.
 
The Lancaster Bible men's tennis team is the top seed in this year's NEAC Playoffs, as the Chargers went 4-0 during conference play to clinch the top spot. The women's tennis team is the second seed in the NEAC Playoffs, as the Chargers went 3-1 during conference during the regular season.
 
Men's Tennis
No. 5 Penn St. Abington vs. No. 1 Lancaster Bible
April 27, 2021 – 12 p.m.
 
Team Records
Penn St. Abington: 1-3, 0-3 NEAC
Lancaster Bible: 8-1, 4-0 NEAC
 
How They Got Here
Penn St. Abington: The Nittany Lions didn't win a match during their condensed three-game regular season, but upset No. 4 seed Penn College in the NEAC Play-In game, and advanced to the NEAC Semifinals…Penn St. Abington lost to Penn College, 6-3 on Apr. 20, but rebounded to defeat the Wildcats, 6-3 just four days later in the play-in game.
 
Lancaster Bible: Lancaster Bible cruised through NEAC play during the regular season, as the Chargers went 4-0 to clinch the top spot…Lancaster Bible lost just eight matches during NEAC play, while winning 28.
 
Regular Season Match
Apr. 22: These two teams met less than a week ago in Abington, Pa., as the Chargers earned a 7-2 victory…The win is a bit deceiving however, as the Nittany Lions had just four players that day, and Lancaster Bible earned forfeit wins at No. 3 doubles, No. 5 singles, and No. 6 singles…The Chargers won both doubles matches, while Penn St. Abington earned a pair of three-set victories at No. 1 and No. 2 singles…Micah Weaver earned a key three-set victory for the Chargers at No. 3 singles, and Keven Vallette won at No. 4 singles.
 
Statistically Speaking
Penn St. Abington: The Nittany Lions' Dhruv Shahane is 3-1 in singles play at No. 2 this season, and he defeated Lancaster Bible's Tyler Norris, 5-7, 6-2, 10-5 when the two teams met last week.
 
Lancaster Bible: AJ Kwiatkowski and Keven Vallette have been terrific for the Chargers all season, as Kwiatkowski is 8-0 overall this season, while Vallette is 8-1…Both players went undefeated during the regular season, as did Malachi Bomgardner at No. 4 singles…Devon Clemmer and Tyler Norris have played tough matches during singles, and have been a tremendous No. 1 doubles team for the Chargers this season, as they went 3-1 in NEAC play.
 
Team Notes
Penn St. Abington: Because of the strange schedule this season, the Nittany Lions have played their entire schedule over the past eight days…Penn St. Abington opened the regular season on Apr. 19 against Penn St. Berks, traveled to Penn College on the 20^th, and hosted Lancaster Bible on Apr. 22…Penn St. Abington then played at Penn College in the play-in game on the 24^th, and will now be one of the final four teams playing on Apr. 27.
 
Lancaster Bible: The Chargers are the defending NEAC Champions dating back to the 2019 season…Lancaster Bible defeated Penn St. Abington, 5-4 in the NEAC Final that year…The Chargers have won a program-record six straight matches, and are one win away from tying the program-record for wins in a season.
 
How to Follow
The match will be live-streamed on the Chargers Sports Network…The broadcast will focus on one court at a time, and will attempt to have a live look-in on each match throughout the day.
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Women's Tennis
No. 3 Penn College vs. No. 2 Lancaster Bible
April 27, 2021 – 4 p.m.
 
Team Records
Penn College: 2-2, 2-2 NEAC
Lancaster Bible: 5-3, 3-1 NEAC
 
How They Got Here
Penn College: The Wildcats went 2-2 overall and in NEAC play, as Penn College rotated wins and losses over four matches…Penn College secured the third seed with a 6-3 victory over Penn St. Abington on Apr. 20.
 
Lancaster Bible: The Chargers earned the second seed by posting a 3-1 mark in NEAC play, with the lone blemish coming to top seed Penn St. Harrisburg…Lancaster Bible won a close match over Penn St. Abington, and cruised to wins over Penn St. Berks and Penn St. Abington.
 
Regular Season Match
Apr. 10: Lancaster Bible and Penn College played a tremendous match on Apr. 10 at Hempfield Rec Center, as the Chargers came away with a 5-4 victory…Penn College led, 2-1 after doubles play, as the Wildcats earned wins at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles…Deanna Graber and Cara DiCiano earned a point for the Chargers at No. 1 doubles with an 8-1 win…Graber and DiCiano earned singles wins for the Chargers as well, while Kenedi Berkhimer and Chloe Campbell picked up singles victories to clinch the team win…The Chargers played a bit out of their normal rotation as No. 3 player Haylee Fishel missed the match due to injury.
 
Statistically Speaking
Penn College: Penn College's Marcie Harmon finished 3-1 in singles play, while Amber Leitzel, Georgia Macensky, and Cassie Shook also picked up singles wins during the season.
 
Lancaster Bible: Cara DiCiano has been a force for the Chargers at No. 2 singles all season long, as she posted a 7-1 overall record and a 3-1 mark in NEAC play…She and No. 1 doubles partner Deanna Graber are 6-2 overall, while Graber is 4-4 in singles action…Berkhimer is 5-3 in singles play, while Fishel and Campbell each have three singles victories as well…Kaitlin Kirby has two singles wins as well for Lancaster Bible.
 
Team Notes
Penn College: This is the first time in program history Penn College has advanced to the NEAC Playoffs…Despite only playing four matches this season, the Wildcats are just one win away from tying the program record for wins in a season.
 
Lancaster Bible: The Chargers are in the NEAC Playoffs for the fourth straight season…Lancaster Bible lost to Penn St. Abington, 5-3 in the 2019 NEAC Final…The Chargers are 2-2 at home this season…DiCiano is one win away from tying for fifth-place for the most singles wins in one season…Fishel is already second on the all-time singles wins list with 23.
 
How to Follow
The match will be live-streamed on the Chargers Sports Network…The broadcast will focus on one court at a time, and will attempt to have a live look-in on each match throughout the day.