By Brandon Chinn, Athletics Communications Writer

SALEM, ORE. -- Despite strong performancesby Stephanie Matsuura (Fr., Hilo HI/Waiakea HS) and Sabrina Gutierrez (Jr., Newbury Park, CA/Newbury Park HS), in the #1 Doubles match, the Willamette University women's tennis team dropped its contest with the University of Puget Sound, 7-2, on Saturday, April 6 at the Courthouse Tennis Center.

With the loss, the Bearcats fell to 1-13, and 1-9 in the Northwest Conference,while the Loggers upped their record to 13-3, and 7-3 in theNWC.

Matsuura and Gutierrez paced Willamette in doubles with a 8-5 victory over Maddie Thiesse and Allison Embernate of Puget Sound. UPS captured the remaining two doubles matches. In #2 doubles, Logan Thompson and Marissa Friedman of UPS defeated Denise Poltavski (So, Woodland Hills, C/El Camino Real HS) and Rachel Heringer (Fr., Salem, OR/South Salem HS), 8-6. Josephine Dow and Malia Ford of UPS were victorious in #3 doubles, 8-1, over Mandy Carlson (Fr., Boise, ID/Bishop Kelly HS) and Holly Petersen (Fr., Rocklin, CA/Rocklin HS) of Willamette.

In singles play, Poltavski defeated Thiesse, 6-1, 6-1, at #1 singles for Willamette's lone victory. The Loggers came away victorious in thefive othersingles matches, solidifying their 7-2 victory.

With only two matches remaining on the season, Willamette will be back in action on Friday, April 12, at Linfield College in McMinnville, Ore. Match time is set for 3:30 p.m. (PDT).