By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- Whitman College held off Willamette Universitiy at #2 doubles to build a 3-0 lead, and the Blues went on to defeat the Bearcats, 9-0, in Northwest Conference women's tennis action on Saturday, April 6. Whitman ranked #36 in the NCAA Division III Poll released by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), improved to 6-6 overall, including 3-1 in the NWC. The Blues are listed at #7 in the West Region team rankings. Willamette fell to 3-6 on the season and to 1-2 in the NWC.

The #2 doubles match was won by Whitman's team of Lori Sheng and Kattie Pak, as they outscored WU's Sylvia Marr (So., Grants Pass, OR/Hidden Valley HS) and Alexis Gjurasic (Sr., Olympia, WA/Capital HS), 8-5.

Whitman earned wins at #1 doubles and #3 doubles by matching 8-2 scores. Andrea Gu and Mary Hill, ranked sixth in the nation and second in the West Region, downed Sarah Dean (So., Boise, ID/Timberline HS) and Robin Pashek (So., The Dalles, OR/The Dalles-Wahtonka HS) at #1 doubles. In the #3 doubles match, Anastasiya Redkina and Audrey Grigore defeated Siena Ginsburg (So., Bend, OR/Summit HS) and Hannah Andres (Sr., Sammamish, WA/Skyline HS).

Gu, ranked #27 in NCAA Division III and #8 in the West Region in singles, held off Dean in the first set at #1 singles, 6-3. Gu took the second set, 6-2. Also winning for the Blues in straight sets during singles were Hill at #2, Redkina at #3, Sheng at #4, Grigore at #5, and Pak at #6. 

The Bearcats are scheduled to play at Whitworth University on Sunday, April 7 in Spokane, Washington. Match time is set for 10 a.m. (PDT). It will be Willamette's sixth consecutive match on the road or at a neutral site.