SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University women's tennis team, which competes in NCAA Division III, played up two levels on Thursday, March 13, when the Bearcats hosted the University of Idaho, from NCAA Division I, at the Courthouse Tennis Club. The Vandals defeated the Bearcats, 9-0, to improve to 6-7 on the season. Willamette fell to 3-7 overall.
Idaho lost just five games during the three doubles matches. At #1 doubles, Silvia Irimescu and Laura Leoni of Idaho defeated Alaine Anderson (Sr., Santa Ana, CA/Foothills HS) and Jamie Slonaker (Fr., Bainbridge Island, WA/Bainbridge HS), 8-2.
At #2 doubles, Idaho's team of Alexandra Ulesanu and Jana Siwa downed Tiffany Kam (Sr., Pearl City, HI/Punahou School) and Abby Funabiki (Jr., Pullman, WA/Pullman HS), 8-3. The #3 doubles match was won by Barbara Maciocha and Natalie Kirch of Idaho, 8-0, over WU's team of Alyssa Morrison (So., Anacortes, WA/Anacortes HS) and Samantha Wong (Fr., Honolulu, HI/Iolani HS).
The top singles match was won by Irimescu, as she defeated Kam, 6-1, 6-1. Irimescu led a solid run through singles play for the Vandals, who won each position in straight sets while losing a total of just seven games.
Willamette remains at home for a Northwest Conference match on Friday, March 14 against Pacific Lutheran University. The match is scheduled to get underway at 12 p.m. (PDT) at the Courthouse Tennis Club.
Thursday, March 13
At Courthouse Tennis Club, Salem, Ore.
University of Idaho 9, Willamette University 0
Singles
#1 - Silvia Irimescu (ID) defeated Tiffany Kam (WU), 6-1, 6-1
#2 - Barbara Maciocha (ID) defeated Alyssa Morrison (WU), 6-0, 6-0
#3 - Alexandra Ulesanu (ID) defeated Alaine Anderson (WU), 6-0, 6-2
#4 - Jana Siwa (ID) defeated Abby Funabiki (WU), 6-2, 6-0
#5 - Natalie Kirch (ID) defeated Jamie Slonaker (WU), 6-0, 6-1
#6 - Laura Leoni (ID) defeated Caitlyn Hoerr (WU), 6-0, 6-0
Doubles
#1 - Irimescu and Leoni (ID) defeated Anderson and Slonaker (WU), 8-2
#2 - Ulesanu and Siwa (ID) defeated Kam and Funabiki (WU), 8-3
#3 - Maciocha and Kirch (ID) defeated Morrison and Samantha Wong (WU), 8-0
Records: Willamette University is 3-7 on the season, while the University of Idaho is 6-7 overall.
Tiffany Kam played #1 singles for the Bearcats against the University of Idaho.
