2017 Patriot League Tournament Central

BOSTON - Seeking its fourth-straight Patriot League title, the No. 2-seeded Boston University women's tennis team will open the conference tournament against No. 7 Loyola Maryland on Friday with action slated to begin at 2 p.m. at Lehigh's Ulrich Varsity Tennis Courts.

In the event of inclement weather, competition will move indoors to the Lewis Indoor Tennis Center.

The Terriers enter the event at 8-10 with a 3-1 mark against Patriot League competition. They opened the dual season with a 4-3 win over No. 3 Navy and followed up with a 7-0 sweep over No. 9 Holy Cross. Two weeks ago, BU traveled to West Point, N.Y., and came away with a 4-1 win over No. 4 Lehigh and hard-fought 4-2 loss to top-seed Army. The defeat marked BU's first conference loss since joining the PL in the summer of 2013.

The Greyhounds (8-8) have yet to win a point in three Patriot League tournament appearances and went 2-4 this year in conference play with wins over No. 8 Lafayette and Holy Cross. Their earlier defeats came against Army, Navy, Lehigh and No. 6 Bucknell by a combined score of 24-1. Friday's quarterfinal matchup will mark the first meeting between the two schools since they both joined the PL the same year.

Though BU will enter a PL tourney for the first time without PL 25th Anniversary Team members Johanna Hyoty and Lauren Davis due to graduation, the Terriers still have plenty of firepower. 2015 PL Tournament MVP and junior Iryna Kostirko has collected four singles wins at No. 1 to push her total to nine this season, while 2016 MVP and Rookie of the Year Sabrina Faybyshev owns a 6-3 mark at line 4. Sophomore Remi Ramos leads the Terriers with 15 total singles victories this season, highlighted by a 6-2 mark at line 3. 

In doubles action, head coach Lesley Sheehan has used multiple lineups to find the right fit. Senior and 2016 All-PL Second Team member Barbara Rodriguez has combined for five wins at line 1 with Faybyshev and Ramos. Kostirko has totaled eight wins in the No. 2 slot with Faybyshev and Ramos.

The winner of Friday's match will face either No. 3 Navy or No. 6 Bucknell on Saturday in the semifinals at 2 p.m. The last two remaining teams will face off for the automatic NCAA berth Sunday at 12 p.m.

2017 Patriot League Women's Tennis Tournament Schedule
Thursday, April 27 - First Round
No. 8 Lafayette def. No. 9 Holy Cross, 4 p.m.

Friday, April 28 - Quarterfinals 
No. 1 Army vs. No. 8/No. 9 winner, 10 a.m.
No. 4 Lehigh vs. No. 5 Colgate, 10 a.m.
No. 3 Navy vs. No. 6 Bucknell, 2 p.m.
No. 2 Boston U. vs. No. 7 Loyola, 2 p.m.

Saturday, April 29 - Semifinals
1/8/9 winner vs. 4/5 winner, 10 a.m.
2/7 winner vs. 3/6 winner, 2 p.m.

Sunday, April 30 - Championship
Patriot League Championship, 12 p.m.