Janesville, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse dropped the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Team Tournament championship game Saturday with a 5-0 loss to 21st-ranked UW-Whitewater at Premier Tennis and Fitness Center.  UWL advanced to the championship match with a 5-3 win over UW-Eau Claire in the semifinals earlier Saturday.

UWL, ranked 15th in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Central Region, is now 20-2 on the season.  The Eagles had their 19-match winning streak snapped with the loss versus UW-Whitewater.

It marked UWL's fifth appearance in the WIAC Team Tournament championship match, including third straight.  The team tournament started in 2008.

Bridget Bellissimo, ranked 10th in the ITA Central Region singles, went 1-0 Saturday.  Bellissimo and Kimmy Mrozek, ranked seventh in the ITA Central Region doubles, went 1-1 Saturday.

UW-Whitewater, ranked third in the ITA Central Region and 21st in the national poll, earns the WIAC's automatic bid to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Tournament with its win in Saturday's championship. The Warhawks' Gabi Kitchell is eighth in the singles regional rankings while Megan Humphreys and Bridgid McGuire are first in the doubles rankings.

The NCAA Division III will announce the teams and individual qualifiers for the 2016 championships Monday, May 9.

WIAC Team Tournament Semifinal
UW-La Crosse 5, UW-Eau Claire 3
Singles competition
1. Bridget Bellissimo (UWL) def. Sarah Henderson (UWEC) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2
2. Kimmy Mrozek (UWL) def. Olivia Gallagher (UWEC) 6-0, 6-1
3. Colleen McCullough (UWEC) def. Jennifer Graham (UWL) 6-4, 6-2
4. Kendra Woyahn (UWL) def. Paige Kuepers (UWEC) 6-4, 6-3
5. Hayley Clope (UWL) vs. Brooke Volpone (UWEC) no result
6. Kendra Berry (UWEC) def. Samantha Fleming (UWL) 6-4, 7-6 (7-3)

Doubles competition
1. Bridget Bellissimo/Kimmy Mrozek (UWL) def. Sarah Henderson/Colleen McCullough (UWEC) 8-4
2. Olivia Gallagher/Paige Kuepers (UWEC) def. Jennifer Graham/Kendra Woyahn (UWL) 8-5
3. Alaina Bublitz/Bryanne Blanton (UWL) def. Brooke Volpone/Molly Sanvik (UWEC) 8-6

WIAC Team Tournament Championship
#21 UW-Whitewater 5, UW-La Crosse 0
Singles competition
1. Bridget Bellissimo (UWL) vs. Megan Humphreys (UWW-W) no result
2. Gabi Kitchell (UWW-W) def. Kimmy Mrozek (UWL) 6-0, 6-1
3. Jennifer Graham (UWL) vs. Bridgid McGuire (UWW-W) no result
4. Alexandra Talyansky (UWW-W) def. Kendra Woyahn (UWL) 6-2, 6-3
5. Hayley Clope (UWL) vs. Jillian Wallace (UWW-W) no result
6. Bryanne Blanton (UWL) vs. Rachel Siemon (UWW-W) no result

Doubles competition
1. Megan Humphreys/Bridgid McGuire (UWW-W) def. Bridget Bellissimo/Kimmy Mrozek (UWL) 8-2
2. Gabi Kitchell/Alexandra Talyansky (UWW-W) def. Jennifer Graham/Kendra Woyahn (UWL) 8-3
3. Jillian Wallace/Ashley Miller (UWW-W) def. Bryanne Blanton/Alaina Bublitz (UWL) 8-5