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

SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University women's tennis team will host three of its Northwest Conference rivals this weekend at the WU Tennis Courts as all four teams begin their fall season by competing at the WU Fall Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 15 and Sunday, Sept. 16. Willamette will be joined by George Fox University, Linfield College and Pacific University.

Action will be held in seven singles flights and four doubles flights. In general, each flight will play a round-robin between four players or doubles teams. The tournament is designed to be a warm-up for the USTA/ITA Small College Northwest Regional set for Sept. 22-24 at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Wash.

"We as coaches wanted to give our players an opportunity to compete prior to the USTA/ITA Regional," WU Head Tennis Coach Becky Roberts said. "This is a great way for our women to begin the year and it's tremendous that we can take advantage of the excellent weather."

Matches will get underway from 9 a.m. until about 2:30 p.m. each day.

Competing in the #1 singles flight for Willamette will be Denise Poltavski (So., Woodland Hills, CA/El Camino Real HS). She will team up with Rachel Heringer (Fr., Salem, OR/South Salem HS) for the Bearcats in #1 doubles.

Other athletes participating for Willamette are Emily Funabiki, Elise Derby, Stephanie Matsuura, Mandy Carlson, Lizzie Kubitz and Jasmine Genena.