By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University won two of three doubles matches and grabbed five of six wins in singles, as the Bearcats defeated University of Puget Sound, 7-2, on Sunday, Feb. 4, in a non-conference match at the Salem Tennis & Swim Club. Mikaila Smith (Sr., Mill Valley, CA/Tamalpais HS), Robin Pashek (Fr., The Dalles, OR/The Dalles-Wahtonka HS) and Sarah Dean (Fr., Boise, ID/Timberline HS) each won matches in both singles and double play.

The Bearcats upped their record to 2-0. The Loggers, who were playing their season opener, moved to 0-1. Willamette and Puget Sound will battle each other again during a Northwest Conference match in Tacoma, Washington, on March 10.

"After yesterday's win (7-2 over Pacific Lutheran), I didn't know how the girls would respond today against Puget Sound," Willamette Head Coach Bryce Parmelly said. "I was totally impresses. They were mentally tough throughout the match and handled the swings of momentum really well."

Smith and Pashek gave Willamette a solid start when they won #1 doubles over Puget Sound's team of Lisa Owen and Nicole Bouche, 8-4. Dean and Sylvia Marr (Fr., Grants Pass, OR/Hidden Valley HS) added a second victory for the Bearcats at #2 doubles by holding off Bridge Myers and Tresa Bild. Puget Sound took #3 doubles, with Barclay Fagg and Tamara Runnicles edging past Siena Ginsburg (Fr., Bend, OR/Summit HS) and Alexis Gjurasic (Jr., Olympia, WA/Capital HS) of WU in a tie-breaker, 9-8 (8-6).

The initial singles match to end was at the #3 position, where Dean of Willamette rolled to a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Bridget Myers. In the #2 singles match, Pashek claimed the first set for the Bearcats, 6-3, and then won the match when Nicole Bouche had to retire due to injury. Puget Sound cut the Bearcats' team lead to 4-2 when Fagg downed Marr, 6-4, 6-2, at #4 singles.

Willamette clinched the overall victory at #5 singles, as Ginsburg downed Bild by winning a pair of close sets, 7-5 and 6-3. Smith tacked on a win at #1 singles, outlasting Lisa Owen of Puget Sound, 6-3, 7-5. Hannah Andres (Jr., Sammamish, WA/Skyline HS) of WU downed Mei Roen at #6 singles, 6-3, 6-2.

Up next for the Bearcats is an exhibition match against Community Colleges of Spokane on Friday, Feb. 16  in Salem, Oregon. The match will be played at the WU Tennis Courts if possible or at the Salem Tennis and Swim Club if weather forces the action to move indoors.