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

TACOMA, WASH. -- The Willamette University women's tennis team closed out the regular season by rolling past the University of Puget Sound, 8-1, in a Northwest Conference match on Saturday, April 11. Willamette heads into the NWC Tournament with an overall record of 8-11, including 7-9 in the NWC. The Bearcats tied for fifth place in the NWC standings and will be the #6 seed in the tournament. Puget Sound finished its season at 1-15 overall, 1-15 in the conference.

The Bearcats won all three doubles matches with the Loggers. WU also achieved victories at five of the six singles positions.

At #1 singles, Shannon Palmer (Fr., Salem, OR/Sprague HS) defeated Sam Taylor of UPS, 6-4, 6-2. Palmer ended the regular season with a 9-6 singles record, all at the #1 position. Palmer teamed with Jamie Slonaker (So., Bainbridge Island, WA/Bainbridge HS) to earn an 8-4 win over Puget Sound at #1 doubles over Taylor and Madison Holtz.

WU earned four of its five singles victories in straight sets. Alyssa Morrison (Jr., Anacortes, WA/Anacortes HS) of Willamette split sets with Alissa Wolf before winning a super tie-breaker to take the #2 singles match, 7-5, 3-6, 10-6. The only win for the Loggers was claimed by Jessica Gauger at #6 singles, as she slipped past Samantha Wong (Jr., Honolulu, HI/Iolani School) in a super tie-breaker, 6-1, 3-6, 10-8.

Willamette will open the NWC Tournament by taking on #3-seeded Whitman College at 12 p.m. (PDT) at the Yakima Tennis Center on Friday, April 17. The winner of that match will meet #1-seeded Linfield College in a semifinal match at 3:30 p.m. (PDT) on Friday. The NWC Tournament will conclude on Saturday, April 18.

For more information about the NWC Tournament, go to the NWC Tournament website.

Saturday, April 11, 2009
At UPS Tennis Pavilion, Tacoma, Wash.

Willamette University 8, University of Puget Sound 1

Singles
#1 - Shannon Palmer (WU) defeated Sam Taylor (UPS), 6-4, 6-2
#2 - Alyssa Morrison (WU) defeated Alissa Wolf (UPS), 7-5, 3-6, 10-6*
#3 - Abby Funabiki (WU) defeated Madison Holtz (UPS), 6-0, 6-1
#4 - Fabi Dieguez (WU) defeated Ada Yu (UPS), 6-3, 7-6 (7-3)
#5 - Jamie Slonaker (WU) defeated Devin Fields (UPS), 7-6 (9-7), 6-2
#6 - Jessica Gauger (UPS) defeated Samantha Wong (WU), 6-1, 3-6, 10-8*

Doubles
#1 - Palmer and Slonaker (WU) defeated Taylor and Holtz (UPS), 8-4
#2 - Funabiki and Morrison (WU) defeated Yu and Wolf (UPS), 8-4
#3 - Dieguez and Annika Moffett (WU) defeated Ashley Dombrow and Fields (UPS), 8-5

* Tie-breaker played instead of a third set

Records:
Willamette University is 8-11 overall, 7-9 in the Northwest Conference. The University of Puget Sound is 1-15 overall, 1-15 in the NWC.