By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University freshman Shannon Palmer (Salem, OR/Sprague HS) rallied from a set down to take an exciting victory in the semifinals, before losing to #1-seeded Elise Otto of Whitman College in the title match, at the Wilson/ITA Small College Northwest Regional Women's Tennis Championship, hosted by Willamette. The three-day tournament concluded on Monday, Sept. 29, with the semifinals and finals on both sides of the singles and doubles brackets.

In her semifinal match, Palmer (seeded #4) trailed Rachel Burns of Whitworth (seeded #2) after Burns won the first set, 6-4. Palmer took the second set in a tie-breaker, 7-6 (7-2), then rallied from a 6-2 deficit to win the super tie-breaker that decided the match, 11-9.

Otto downed Palmer, 6-2, 6-3 in the singles final. Otto reached the final by defeating Mya Towne of Whitworth (seeded #6), 6-0, 6-3, in the semifinals.

Palmer combined with Abby Funabiki (Sr., Pullman, WA/Pullman HS) to reach the semifinals in doubles. In the semis, they were defeated by the #2-seeded team of Cat Goya and Megan Yoshimoto of Pacific University, 8-3. Otto and Katie Oost of Whitman defeated #4-seeded Sarah Click and Abby Olbrich of Linfield College in the semifinals, before winning the title by defeating Goya and Yoshimoto in the finals, 8-5.

Otto will compete in singles and will combine with Oost in doubles at the Wilson/ITA National Small College Championships, set for Oct. 16-19 in Mobile, Ala. The National Championships will be held at the Copeland-Cox Tennis Center.

The singles consolation final at the Northwest Regional was won by Mollee Robinson of George Fox University with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Stephanie Reardon of Whitworth. In the doubles consolation final, the team of Kirstie Franceschina and Sarah Watanabe of Linfield College downed Robinson and Heather Orr of GFU, 9-7.

At Willamette University, Salem, Ore.
Wilson/ITA Small College Northwest Regional Women's Tennis Championship
Single Results
Consolation Singles Results
Doubles Results
Consolation Doubles Results

Singles Semifinals (At WU Tennis Courts)
(#1) Elise Otto (Whitman) defeated
(#6) Mya Towne (Whitworth), 6-0, 6-3

(#4) Shannon Palmer (Willamette) defeated
(#2) Rachel Burns (Whitworth), 4-6, 7-6 (7-2), 11-9

Singles Championship Match (At WU Tennis Courts)
(#1) Elise Otto (Whitman) defeated
(#4) Shannon Palmer (Willamette), 6-2, 6-3

Doubles Semifinals (At WU Tennis Courts)
(#1) Katie Oost/Elise Otto (Whitman) defeated
(#4) Sarah Click/Abby Olbrich (Linfield), 8-4

#2) Cat Goya/Megan Yoshimoto (Pacific) defeated
Abby Funabiki/Shannon Palmer (Willamette), 8-3

Doubles Championship Match (At WU Tennis Courts)
(#1) Katie Oost/Elise Otto (Whitman) defeated
Cat Goya/Megan Yoshimoto (Pacific), 8-5