SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University put its depth in singles to good use on Saturday, April 12, as the Bearcats won matches at the bottom four singles positions in a 6-3 victory over the University of Puget Sound. The triumph at the WU Tennis Courts improved Willamette to 7-11 overall, including 7-8 in the NWC. Puget Sound fell to 3-15 overall, 2-14 in the conference.
With the win, Willamette moves into a tie for fifth place in the NWC standings with Pacific Lutheran University (7-8). The Lutes take on conference leader Linfield College later on Saturday, while WU concludes the regular season at Pacific University (1-14 NWC) on Sunday, April 13 at 11 a.m. (PDT). Willamette and Pacific Lutheran have clinched NWC Tournament berths.
If PLU falls to Linfield and the Bearcats defeat Pacific, Willamette will finish in fifth place. The top six teams qualify for the NWC Tournament, set for April 18-19 in Yakima, Wash.
In Saturday's match, Puget Sound won #1 doubles and the top two singles positions, but WU was victorious in all of the remaining matches. At #1 doubles, Katie Schultz and Samantha Taylor of UPS defeated Alaine Anderson (Sr., Santa Ana, CA/Foothill HS) and Jamie Slonaker (Fr., Bainbridge Island, WA/Bainbridge HS), 8-5.
The #2 doubles match was won by WU's team of Tiffany Kam (Sr., Pearl City, HI/Punahou School) and Abby Funabiki (Jr., Pullman, WA/Pullman HS), 8-6, over Alyssa Wolf and Rochelle Hebert. WU also won #3 doubles, as Alyssa Morrison (So., Anacortes, WA/Anacortes HS) and Samantha Wong (So., Honolulu, HI/Iolani HS) shut out Ashley Dombrow and Penny Horowitz, 8-0.
Schultz won #1 singles for UPS with a 6-2, 6-4 triumph over Kam. Taylor claimed #2 singles for the Loggers in straight sets, but until she survived a lengthy tie-breaker to decide the second set. Taylor defeated Morrison, 6-2, 7-6 (14-12).
Anderson topped WU's string of four victories from #3 through #6 singles. She downed Wolf, 6-2, 6-4. Funabiki slipped past Hebert of UPS, 6-4, 6-4. Wong at #5 singles and Brooke Sessums (Fr., Stayton, OR/Stayton HS) at #6 singles both won in straight sets.
It was Senior Day at the WU Tennis Courts. Willamette honored its seniors, Kam and Anderson, for their contributions the past four seasons.
Saturday, April 12
At Willamette University Tennis Courts, Salem, Ore.
Willamette University 6, University of Puget Sound 3
Singles
#1 - Katie Schultz (UPS) defeated Tiffany Kam (WU), 6-2, 6-4
#2 - Sam Taylor (UPS) defeated Alyssa Morrison (WU), 6-2, 7-6 (14-12)
#3 - Alaine Anderson (WU) defeated Alyssa Wolf (UPS), 6-2, 6-4
#4 - Abby Funabiki (WU) defeated Rochelle Hebert (UPS), 6-4, 6-4
#5 - Samantha Wong (WU) defeated Ashley Dombrow (UPS), 6-2, 6-0
#6 - Brooke Sessums (WU) defeated Penny Horowitz (UPS), 6-1, 6-2
Doubles
#1 - Schultz and Taylor (UPS) defeated Anderson and Jamie Slonaker (WU), 8-5
#2 - Kam and Funabiki (WU) defeated Wolf and Hebert (UPS), 8-6
#3 - Morrison and Wong (WU) defeated Dombrow and Horowitz (UPS), 8-0
Records: Willamette is 7-11 overall, 7-8 in the NWC; Puget Sound is 3-15 overall, 2-14 in the NWC.
Senior Alaine Anderson won #3 singles over Alyssa Wolf of UPS, 6-2, 6-4.
Tiffany Kam won #2 doubles in the final home match of her WU career.
