SALEM, ORE. -- Southern Oregon University won two of three doubles matches, then split the six singles matches, to defeat Willamette University, 5-4, in women's tennis, Friday, Feb. 8 at the Courthouse Tennis Club. The match was the season opener for both teams.
Willamette's Alaine Anderson (Sr., Santa Ana, CA/Foothill HS), who played #3 singles last year and won her final 13 singles matches in dual match play, has moved up to #2 singles this season. The move hasn't slowed her down, as she defeated Charlotte Duren, 6-3, 3-6, (10-6), in a match decided by a 10-point tie-breaker rather than a third set.
WU also won #3 singles and #4 singles. In the #3 match, Alyssa Morrison (So., Anacortes, WA/Anacortes HS) defeated Heidi Chiles, 6-3 6-3. At #4 singles, Abby Funabiki (Jr., Pullman, WA/Pullman HS/Quinnipiac Univ.) defeated Erin Bruni in three sets. Funabiki won the first set 7-6 with a 7-5 tie-breaker. She lost the second set, 2-6, but rebounded to take the match with a 10-8 win in the super tie-breaker.
Southern Oregon claimed a 2-1 advantage with victories at #1 and #2 doubles. At #1 doubles, Katie Ross and Becca Weicher edged Anderson and Tiffany Kam (Sr., Pearl City, HI/Punahou School) of Willamette, 8-6.
Duren and Bruni of SOU triumphed at #2 doubles, 8-3, against Emily Elliott (So., Woodside, CA/Woodside Priory School) and Jamie Slonaker (Fr., Bainbridge Island, WA/Bainbridge HS). WU won #3 doubles, as Morrison and Funabiki outscored Chiles and Rachael Malapit, 8-4.
Southern Oregon University 5, Willamette University 4
Singles
#1 - Katie Ross (SOU) defeated Tiffany Kam (WU), 6-3 6-0
#2 - Alaine Anderson (WU) defeated Charlotte Duren (SOU), 6-3, 3-6, (10-6)*
#3 - Alyssa Morrison (WU) defeated Heidi Chiles (SOU), 6-3 6-3
#4 - Abby Funabiki (WU) defeated Erin Bruni (SOU), 7-6 (7-5) 2-6, (10-8)*
#5 - Becca Weicher (SOU) defeated Emily Elliott (WU), 6-3 6-2
#6 - Rachael Malapit (SOU) defeated Jamie Slonaker (WU), 6-2 6-2
Doubles
#1 - Ross and Weicher (SOU) defeated Kam and Anderson (WU), 8-6
#2 - Duren and Bruni (SOU) defeated Elliott and Slonaker (WU), 8-3
#3 - Morrison and Funabiki (WU) defeated Chiles and Malapit (SOU), 8-4
* Tie-breaker played instead of a third set
Against Southern Oregon, Alaine Anderson extended her dual match winning streak to 14 victories.
