PURCHASE, N.Y. – The second-seeded Purchase College women's tennis team saw its season come to an end on Wednesday following a 5-4 semifinal loss to Sarah Lawrence College.

The third-seeded Gryphons will advance to the Skyline Conference Championship at No. 1 Farmingdale State Saturday.

Sarah Lawrence's Simi Rao and Isabella Hardman opened the scoring in the match with an 8-0 shutout over Nikita Kordzielewska (JR/Stepnica, Poland) and Isabel Biagiotti (SR/Highland Mills, NY) at first singles.

Purchase fired back with a win at the No. 3 spot thanks to a dominating 8-2 performance from Kali Secrest (SO/Hartsdale, NY) and Julie Shuett (SR/Northport, NY).

The Panthers continued to ignite as Olivia Menchell (FR/Weston, CT) and Elaina Coppola (SO/White Plains, NY) rallied to win No. 2 doubles, 8-6.

Purchase held a 2-1 advantage heading into singles but a Gryphon 6-0, 6-0 victory at the No. 3 spot would even the score once again (2-2).

Next to finish was the No. 4 singles match where Coppola and SL's Sophie Holmes battled it out to a 6-3, 6-4 decision in favor of the visitors.

Trailing 3-2, the Panthers started to claw back. Secrest posted a 6-2, 6-2 triumph at fifth singles, followed by Madeline Markowski's 6-0, 6-4 win at the sixth spot. 

The pair of wins pushed Purchase back out in front, 4-3, but Sarah Lawrence rallied with wins at the top two positions en route to a dramatic come-from-behind 5-4 victory.