By Evan Giddings, Student Assistant Athletics Communications Director

SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University women's tennis team returns from its three-match Spring Break trip in Southern California to take on University of Puget Sound on Friday, April 3 before playing at George Fox University on Saturday, April 4th.

Friday's match against UPS is set to start at 4 p.m. (PDT) at the Courthouse Tennis Center. (1379 Madison NE, Salem, OR). On Saturday, the Bearcats will take on GFU in Newberg, Oregon, at 11 a.m. (PDT). The match with GFU may be moved to the Tualatin Hills Tennis Center due to rain.

Coming into the weekend, the Bearcats hold a 1-12 overall record and are 0-6 in conference play. While in Southern California, the team picked up its first win of the season over Occidental College, 6-3, by beating the Tigers in two out of three doubles matches and winning four of six singles matches.

WU began their victory in #1 doubles as Denise Poltavski (Sr., Woodland Hills, CA/El Camino Real HS) and Mikaila Smith (Fr., Mill Valley, CA/Tamalpais HS) triumphed. At #3 doubles, Ellen Rumley (Fr., Anchorage, AK/East Anchorage HS) and Katie Adams (Fr., McLean, VA/American International School) earned a win.

In singles play, the Bearcats recorded wins #2, #4, #5 and #6 singles. Smith came out on top at #2, while Alicia Sohn captured the #4 singles victory. After picking up the key win in doubles, Rumley and Adams each added another win in singles. Rumley won at #5 singles and Adams prevailed iat #6 singles.

Puget Sound is 3-6 overall with a 1-6 conference record. Last time the two teams met on March 8, the Loggers edged out the win by a close score, 5-4.

In that match, the UPS singles lineup was comprised of Elizabeth Chao (So.) at #1, Farrell Ahlf (Fr.) at #2, Tresa Bild (Fr.) at #3, Tamara Runnicles (Fr.) at #4, and Alison Goo (Sr.) at #5. Puget Sound did not have a six player for the match, so the Loggers forfeited at #6 singles and #2 doubles.

The Loggers featured Chao and Bild at #1 doubles, while Ahlf and Runnicles played #3 doubles.

Willamette's challenge on Saturday will come from George Fox, which holds an even 7-7 overall record, while achieving a 3-4 NWC record. The Bruins most recently fell to University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in a non-conference match on March 23 by a 5-3 score.

The Bruins' singles play against UWEC featured Sarah Tuemmler (Jr.) playing #1, Chantelle Hadeed (Sr.) competing at #2, and Taylor Barnes (So.) battling at #3. Catrina Kwong (Fr.), Andrea Motley (Fr.), and Ali Diehl (Jr.) all finished the singles at #4, #5, and #6.

In doubles competition, the tandem of Tuemmler and Hadeed competed at #1, Motley and Diehl played #2, and Barnes and Kwong were in the lineup at #3.