After sweeping the doubles matches, the women's tennis team showed it had the upper hand in Friday's win over Syracuse, one of its biggest rivals.

The Lady Lions, who have frequently lost to the Lady Orange in the past, continued to increase their confidence with a win, 7-2, for the second year in a row.

"We swept the doubles, so that gave us a lot of confidence," Coach Jan Bortner said.

Depth played a key role in the doubles victories, as the No. 1 duo of Kelly Erven and Claudia Karabedian added another win to their 31-1 fall / spring record by defeating Syracuse's Kari Bentzel and Shari Liberatore, 6-4, 6-2. The second Lady Lion team of Lisa Thomas and Caroline Pierce also had success with its win over Kathy Bradford and Carol Krause, 6-3, 6-2. Playing together for the second time, doubles team Cathy Kissell and Emily Hull came through with the third win.

"The real pivotal win was No. 2 doubles. They (Thomas and Pierce) played an outstanding team of Bradford and Krause," Bortner said.

Pierce said that it was an important win because she had lost her last couple of doubles matches.

"We were just going in with the idea that we were trying to be aggressive," Pierce said.

The Lady Lions were not quite as strong in singles play, as Erven, the No. 1 player, fell to Syracuse's Bradford in three close sets, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5.

"She didn't have one of her better days. She just seemed to be very sluggish. Bradford played very well," Bortner said.

In the No. 2 spot, Karabedian topped Chris Chiminello, 6-1, 6-3. Thomas, playing in the third slot, took the team's other loss, against Krause in another three set match, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. However, Pierce's win over Bentzel, 6-4, 6-3, along with Kissell's defeat of Liberatore, 6-1, 6-4, insured Penn State's victory. And No. 6 Lady Lion Stephanie Erb crushed Karen Garber, 6-0, 6-1.

The win over Syracuse was a significant one for the team, especially as a test for its upcoming match against William & Mary, which is co-ranked No. 1 in the East with Harvard. Penn State defeated William & Mary last year.

"This was a real big win, because Syracuse is one of the top teams in the East," Bortner said. "No question, (it was) our best effort of the season."