By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University fell to East Texas Baptist University 5-1 in women's tennis on Wednesday, March 15 at the Salem Tennis and Swim Club. Alexa de Crinis (Fy., Makawao, HI/Seabury Hall School) and Ruby Thompson (Sr., Bay City, OR/Tillamook HS) picked up Willamette's win at #2 doubles. The overall match ended as soon as ETBU picked up its fifth victory to clinch the team win.

At #2 doubles, de Crinis and Thompson rolled past Isabell Duarte and Shyan Darr of ETBU, 8-2. The Bearcats lost the other two doubles matches, as Addy Seward and Fernande Ruiz Burkart held off Richelle Suzuki (So., Mililani, HI/Mililani HS) and Anika Groener (So., Bend, OR/Summit HS) at the #1 position, 8-5, and Jayde Childress and Grayce Malone downed McKenna Turner (Jr., Junction City, OR/Junction City HS) and Paisley Lieske (Sr., Seattle, WA/Vashon Island HS) at the #3 position, 8-2.

In singles, the Tigers picked up three wins to conclude the overall match. Three singles matches were unfinished when play was stopped.

At #2 singles, Childress defeated Suzuki of Willamette, 6-1, 6-1. Maryam Sharafeldin of ETBU downed Turner in the first set at #4 singles before Turner retired due to an injury. At #5 singles, Ruiz Burkart moved past Lieske, 6-0, 6-1.

The unfinished matches were at #1, #3, and #6 singles. In the #1 match, Seward from East Texas Baptist was leading de Criniz, 6-1, 4-3. At #3 singles, Andrea Alvarez earned a 6-0 win in the first set for the Tigers, but Groener was up 3-2 for the Bearcats in the second set. The #6 singles match between Alicia Sola (Fy., Aumsville, OR/Cascade HS) of WU and Duarte of ETBU never started.

East Texas Baptist improved to 9-5 on the season, while the Bearcats fell to 1-6. Willamette will host Colorado College in the Bearcats' next match on Monday, March 27 at 3 p.m. (PDT).