Janesville, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse dropped the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Team Tournament championship Saturday with a 5-0 loss to 27th-ranked UW-Whitewater at Premier Tennis and Fitness Center.  UWL advanced to the championship match with a 6-3 win over UW-Eau Claire in the semifinals earlier Saturday.

UWL, ranked 18th in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Central Region, is now 20-5 on the season.  The Eagles are one win away from tying the school record of 21 dual victories set in 2010-11 and 2011-12. UWL finished 21-5 each year. 

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

Bridget Bellissimo, ranked 19th in the ITAA Central Region singles, went 1-0 Saturday. 

UW-Whitewater, ranked sixth in the ITA Central Region and 27th 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.

WIAC Team Tournament Semifinal
UW-La Crosse 6, UW-Eau Claire 3
Singles competition
1. Bridget Bellissimo (UWL) def. Natalie Wijesinghe (UWEC) 6-2, 7-5
2. Sadie Spahn (UWL) def. Sarah Henderson (UWEC) 6-1, 6-4
3. Hayley Clope (UWL) def. Molly Stewart (UWEC) 6-2, 7-6 (8-6)
4. Brooke Volpone (UWEC) def. Samantha Fleming (UWL) 6-4, 6-3
5. Maura Andersen (UWL) def. Olivia Gallagher (UWEC) 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
6. Alaina Bublitz (UWL) def. Molly Sanvik (UWEC) 4-6, 6-0, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. Natalie Wijesinghe/Sarah Henderson (UWEC) def. Bridget Bellissimo/Sadie Spahn (UWL) 8-5
2. Hayley Clope/Alaina Bublitz (UWL) def. Molly Stewart/Olivia Gallagher (UWEC) 8-4
3. Brooke Volpone/Hannah Zevenbergen (UWEC) def. Maura Andersen/Lauren Weise (UWL) 8-5

WIAC Team Tournament Championship
#27 UW-Whitewater 5, UW-La Crosse 0
Singles competition
1. Megan Humphreys (UWW-W) vs. Bridget Bellissimo (UWL) 6-3, 1-2, unfinished
2. Bridgid McGuire (UWW-W) vs. Sadie Spahn (UWL) 6-4, unfinished
3. Alexandra Talyansky (UWW-W) vs. Hayley Clope (UWL) 6-3, 4-2, unfinished
4. Jillian Wallace (UWW-W) vs. Samantha Fleming (UWL) 6-2, 2-1, unfinished
5. Alicia Beck (UWW-W) def. Maura Andersen (UWL) 6-0, 6-0
6. Brittany Goebel (UWW-W) def. Alaina Bublitz (UWL) 6-0, 6-0

Doubles competition
1. Megan Humphreys/Bridgid McGuire (UWW-W) def. Bridget Bellissimo/Sadie Spahn (UWL) 8-1
2. Alexandra Talyansky/Jillian Wallace (UWW-W) def. Hayley Clope/Alaina Bublitz (UWL) 8-4
3. Alicia Beck/Brittany Goebel (UWW-W) def. Samantha Fleming/Kim Drangeid (UWL) 8-3