ERIE, Pa. – After a shaky start early in doubles play, the Lady Barons got over their nerves and swept Penn St. - Altoona 5-0 to earn their second straight trip to the AMCC Championship match.

Ten minutes into doubles play Franciscan was down 1-0 in all three doubles matches. Then, about halfway through each doubles match, a switch seemed to flip for Franciscan. FUS pulled out each doubles match, including a comeback by no. 2 doubles pairing Erin Coyne and Allison Jenson who were down 5-0. The comeback seemed to surprise everyone but head coach Jenna Lynch.

"That's how you know they were better than the team they were playing. If it could've gone either way, them coming back wouldn't have been so clean cut," Lynch said. "You knew it was mental because they flipped the switch and won eight of the next nine games."

Sweeping doubles play provided an important edge against the Lady Lions that FUS didn't have the last time the two played. In their regular season match it was singles play that helped FUS squeak out a 5-4 win after losing two of three doubles matches.

The most dramatic turnaround from that match came in no.1 doubles where senior Alanna Murray and sophomore Claire Haddad won 8-3 after losing to the same doubles pairing 8-1 in the regular season.

"They really prepped strategically before the match and knew what they were going to do before the match even started," Lynch said. "They planned who to attack, when to attack, and what strokes to use against which player, and it worked."

The Lady Barons' other successful strategy was their emotional preparation. Lynch said the team's virtue of the week was gratitude and that she wanted her girls to focus on just being thankful for being able to play in the match even though they are the favorites to win the whole tournament.

"I told them I don't care if they win or lose. I wanted them to be thankful for being here, for getting here and to not think about tomorrow," Lynch said. "I think once they shook their early nerves they were in the right state of mind to play their absolute best."

Already up 3-0 Franciscan's depth was once again the difference with sophomore Erin Coyne at no. 5 singles and freshman Anna O'Connor at no. 6 making quick work of their opponents, winning 6-1, 6-0 and 6-2, 6-1 respectively.

Sophomore Claire Haddad was also one point away from winning her no. 3 singles match when Coyne's win, won the match for FUS.

"From about mid-match doubles on, I don't know that I've ever seen them play that well," Lynch said.

The Lady Barons will move onto the AMCC Finals less than 24 hours from the end of their semi-final match. The finals will take play on Sunday, October 19 at 11:30 am against the winner of Penn St.-Behrend and Pitt-Greensburg.

"We need to carry that confidence and the gratitude into tomorrow," Lynch said. "They also need to realize that it's not over. They're not done. We can't celebrate yet."