By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Occidental College overcame a 2-1 deficit in doubles by winning five of six singles matches to down Willamette University, 6-3, in women's tennis action on Tuesday, March 26. The Tigers evened their record at 7-7, while Willamette fell to 3-4 on the season.

The Bearcats grabbed victories at #1 and #2 doubles. In the #1 match, Sarah Dean (So., Boise, ID/Timberline HS) and Robin Pashek (So., The Dalles, OR/The Dalles-Wahtonka HS) led 6-4 against Katie Wolber and Jane Wright, but were tied 6-6 after 12 games. Dean and Pashek won the next two games for an 8-6 win. At #2 doubles, Sylvia Marr (So., Grants Pass, OR/Hidden Valley HS) of Alexis Gjurasic (Sr., Olympia, WA/Capital HS) of WU rolled past Andrea Clawson and Zoe Campbell, 8-2.

In the #3 doubles match, Nicole Pelletier and Alana Adelman of Occidental defeated Siena Ginsburg (So., Bend, OR/Summit HS) and Hannah Andres (Sr., Sammamish, WA/Skyline HS), 8-2.

Gjurasic recorded Willamette's lone win in singles. She easily downed Pelletier, 6-1, 6-1.

Dean gave Wolber a competitive battle at #1 singles, but Wolber prevailed for the Tigers, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5). At #3 singles, Clawson edged out Ginsburg in the first set, 7-5, before winning the second set, 6-0. Other winners for Occidental during singles were Wright at #2, Campbell at #4 and Adelman at #6.

"We had some definite highlights today even though we came up short in the end," Willamette Head Coach Bryce Parmelly said. "Our top two doubles teams played some of the best doubles I've seen from them all year, and Alexis Gjurasic continued to do fantastic in singles at her spot."

Willamette will complete its Spring Break trip by taking on Colby College (Maine) on Thursday, March 28 in Claremont, California.

Big Moment of the Match for Willamette

Alexis Gjurasic picked up wins for the Bearcats in both singles
and doubles against the Tigers. She combined with Sylvia Marr
to defeat Andrea Clawson and Zoe Campbell at #2 doubles, 8-2.
Gjurasic breezed past Nicole Pelletier at #5 singles, winning both
sets by a 6-1 margin.