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

SALEM, ORE. -- Members of the Willamette University women's tennis team took advantage of great weather over the weekend to host players from George Fox University, Linfield College and Pacific University at the WU Fall Invitational on Sept. 15-16. Athletes participated in singles and doubles competition, with a total of seven flights in singles and four flights in doubles.

Most of the flights featured a round-robin schedule between four players or doubles teams. The schedule was a bit different at #7 singles, which did not include a complete round-robin for the seven players involved, and at #4 doubles, where three teams played a round-robin with each doubles team competing twice.

The tournament was held as a warm-up for the USTA/ITA Small College Northwest Regional set for Sept. 22-24 at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Wash.

Returning Athletes competing for Willamette in the tournament were Denise Poltavski (So., Woodland Hills, CA/El Camino Real HS), Emily Funabiki (Jr. Pullman, WA/Pullman HS), Elise Derby (So., Oakdale, CA/Oakdale HS) and Lizzie Kubitz (so., Anchorage, AK/West Anchorage HS).

Freshmen playing in the tournament for the Bearcats were Mandy Carlson (Boise, ID/Bishop Kelly HS), Jasmine Genena (Portland, OR/Lake Oswego HS), Rachel Heringer (Salem, OR/South Salem HS) and Stephanie Matsuura.

Poltavski went 2-1 at #1 singles. Her only loss was to Caroline Brigham of Linfield, who prevailed in a close match, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4. Poltavksi downed Synclaire Waldron of Pacific, 6-1, 6-1, and defeated Alyssa Emoto from George Fox, 6-2, 6-1.

At #2 singles, Heringer finished 1-2, including two matches that were even after two sets. In both cases, a 10-point super tie-breaker was played instead of a third set. Heringer rallied past Shaina Inn of GFU, 5-7, 6-3, 10-4, in one of the matches. In the other match, Rachel Mizuno of Pacific lost the first set, but eventually defeated Heringer, 5-7, 6-4, 10-6.

Funabiki finished 0-3 at #3 singles, but played in three close matches. She lost 6-4, 6-4 twice and also fell 6-3, 7-5. Derby earned a 1-2 record at #4 singles, including a win over Aleassa Wren of GFU in a super tie-breaker, 4-6, 6-4, 10-8. Derby also lost one match in a super tie-breaker, with Francesca Battaglia of Pacific claiming a 5-7, 6-4, 10-6 win.

Matsuura won to of three matches at #5 singles. She defeated Jessica Moss of George Fox, 6-4, 6-0 and outlasted Carlee Rhodaback from Pacific, 3-6, 7-5, 10-8. Gretchen Jernstedt of Linfield defeated Matsuura, 6-4, 6-2.

Carlson competed at #6 singles for WU and went 0-3. She lost one match in a super tie-breaker and dropped another in straight sets following a tie-breaker in the second set. Carlson won at least four games in four of her six "regular" sets.

Genena was 3-0 at #7 singles with two straight-set wins and a narrow victory over Gia Sapporito of Linfield in the other match. Genena downed Sapporito at the end of a lengthy super tie-breaker, 4-6, 6-4, 13-11. Kubitz also competed at #7 singles and went 0-3.

Poltavski and Heringer combined for a 1-2 record in #1 doubles. They defeated Emoto and Wren from GFU, 8-2, but fell to Mizuno and Synclaire Waldron of Pacific, 8-4, and to Brigham and Lexi Thomas of Linfield, 8-5.

At #2 doubles, Derby and Funabiki were 0-3. They were highly competitive in two of the matches, losing to Kwynn Ecton and Kelly Watanabe of Linfield, 8-6, and to Samantha Nady and Kelsey Lack of Pacific, 9-7. Carlson and Matsuura went 1-2 at #3 doubles with an 8-6 win over George Fox.

Genena and Kubitz went 1-1 in the #4 singles flight. They defeated Danielle Wicks and Danielle Hunter of Pacific, 8-2, but lost to Emily Erbin and Savannah Fellers of Linfield, 8-3.