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

LOS ANGELES, CALIF. -- Willamette University won two of three doubles matches and then prevailed at four of the six singles positions to earn a 6-3 victory over Occidental College (Calif.) on Sunday, March 22, as the Bearcats opened their Spring Break trip. It was Willamette's first win of the season, as the Bearcats improved to 1-10, while Occidental dropped to 1-6.

Ellen Rumley (Fr., Anchorage, AK/East Anchorage HS) and Katie Adams (Fr., McLean, VA/American International School) gained a key win for the Bearcats when they outlasted Lauren Hutkin and Isabella Kormann in a tie-breaker at #3 doubles, 9-8 (7-3).

WU also recorded a victory at #1 doubles for a 2-1 lead entering the singles competition. The #1 doubles match went to Denise Poltavski (Sr., Woodland Hills, CA/El Camino Real HS) and Mikaila Smith (Fr., Mill Valley, CA/Tamalpais HS), as they rolled past Amber Gadsden and Sarah Charney of Occidental, 8-2.

The Tigers claimed #2 doubles, as Samantha Farrell and Lucy Malloch downed Emily Guimont (Jr., El Dorado Hills, CA/Folsom HS) and Alicia Sohn (So., Tustin, CA/Arnold O. Beckman HS), 8-5.

Willamette registered wins at #2, #4, #5 and #6 singles. After picking up the key win in doubles, Rumley and Adams each added a triumph in singles. Rumley won #5 singles against Malloch, 6-2, 6-0. Adams prevailed in two close sets at #6 singles over Korfmann, 6-3, 7-5.

Farrell of Occidental outscored Poltavksi at #1 singles, 6-4, 6-3. Smith won #2 singles for WU, as she shut out Gadsden, 6-0, 6-0. Charney downed Guimont, 6-2, 6-0, at #3 singles for the Tigers, while Sohn was victorious for the Bearcats at #4 singles against Hutkin, 6-0, 6-4.

Willamette will continue its road trip with a match at University of LaVerne (Calif.) on Tuesday, March 24. Match time is scheduled for 2 p.m. (PDT). The Bearcats will complete the trip against California Institute of Technology on Wednesday, March 24 at 2 p.m.