TROY, N.Y. - The SUNY Geneseo women's tennis team earned the program's first trip to the Empire 8 Championship match in the first season in the conference on Friday evening, knocking off #3 seeded Nazareth, 5-4. The Knights will take on top-seeded Hartwick for the Empire 8 title on Saturday, October 20th at 2 p.m. in Troy N.Y. 
 
The Knights kicked off the action in doubles and earned two big victories at first and second doubles. Samantha Rava and Rachel Molloy fought their way to an 8-3 win at first doubles, while Natalie Pipes and Joann Catalano cruised to an 8-5 win at second doubles. Katie Kujawa and Talia Wutz teamed up at third doubles and fell 8-2. 
 
In singles play, Pipes took control at first singles, getting another point with her 6-3 6-3 win over Nazareth. Nazareth came out on top over Talia Wutz at third singles 6-3 and 6-0 and against Kujawa at fifth singles, tying it up 3-3. Molloy earned the teams fourth point with 6-4 6-3 victories, but the Golden flyers answered back, winning 6-1 1-6 6-0 against Catalano at sixth. Rava came through, winning the decisive point for Geneseo 3-6 6-1 6-1 at second and giving Geneseo the 5-4 win over Nazareth. 
 
The Knights will take on Hartwick in the championship match, the only Empire 8 team they have lost to this season. The match can be streamed from the Empire 8 here