TACOMA, WASH. -- Willamette University won #2 and #3 doubles, then swept all six singles matches, as the Bearcats downed the University of Puget Sound, 8-1, in a Northwest Conference women's tennis match, Saturday, March 8 at the UPS Tennis Pavilion. Willamette improved to 3-6 overall and to 3-5 in the NWC. Puget Sound dropped to 2-6 overall, 2-6 in the NWC.
Willamette is currently sixth in the NWC standings, while UPS sits one game behind the Bearcats in seventh place. The top six teams in the final regular season standings will qualify for the NWC Tournament.
The Bearcats built a 2-1 lead with the two wins in doubles play. At #2 doubles, Tiffany Kam (Sr., Pearl City, HI/Punahou School) and Abby Funabiki (Jr., Pullman, WA/Pullman HS) of Willamette claimed a close victory over Alissa Wolf and Ashley Spencer, 9-7. WU's #3 doubles team of Alyssa Morrison (So., Anacortes, WA/Anacortes HS) and Samantha Wong (Fr., Honolulu, HI/Iolani HS) defeated Rochelle Hebert and Ashley Dombrow, 8-4.
UPS registered its only victory at #1 doubles. Katie Schultz and Sam Taylor earned the win for the Loggers, as they outlasted Alaine Anderson (Sr., Santa Ana, CA/Foothills HS) and Jamie Slonaker (Fr., Bainbridge Island, WA/Bainbridge HS), 8-6.
Kam led Willamette's sweep of the single maches by winning #1 singles, 6-3, 6-4, over Schultz. Morrison won #2 singles in straight sets over Taylor, but required a tie-breaker in the second set before winning the match, 6-1, 7-6 (7-4).
The only match to go beyond two sets was #5 singles. Slonaker of Willamette rallied from a 6-1 loss to Hebert in the first set to win the second set 6-4. Slonaker then claimed victory with a 12-10 win in a super tie-breaker played instead of a third set.
Willamette will play its next match on Thursday, March 13 against the University of Idaho at the Courthouse Tennis Club in Salem, Ore. The action is set to get underway at 12 p.m. (PDT).
Saturday, March 8
At UPS Tennis Pavilion, Tacoma, Wash.
Singles
#1 - Tiffany Kam (WU) defeated Katie Schultz (UPS), 6-3, 6-4
#2 - Alyssa Morrison (WU) defeated Sam Taylor (UPS), 6-1, 7-6 (7-4)
#3 - Alaine Anderson (WU) defeated Alissa Wolf (UPS), 6-4, 6-0
#4 - Abby Funabiki (WU) defeated Ashley Spencer (UPS), 6-0, 6-4
#5 - Jamie Slonaker (WU) defeated Rochelle Hebert (UPS), 1-6, 6-4, 12-10*
#6 - Samantha Wong (WU) defeated Ashley Dombrow (UPS), 6-3, 6-2
Doubles
#1 - Schultz and Taylor (UPS) defeated Anderson and Slonaker (WU), 8-6
#2 - Kam and Funabiki (WU) defeated Wolf and Spencer (UPS), 9-7
#3 - Morrison and Wong (WU) defeated Hebert and Dombrow (UPS), 8-4
* Tie-breaker played instead of a third set
Records: Willamette is 3-6 overall, 3-5 in the NWC; Puget Sound is 2-6 overall, 2-6 in the NWC.
