By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

VANCOUVER, Wash. -- Willamette University senior Sarah Dean (Boise, ID/Timberline HS) was victorious at #1 singles and #1 doubles, but Lewis & Clark College defeated the Bearcats, 7-2, in a Northwest Conference women's tennis match on Saturday, March 27 at Club Green Meadows. The Pioneers advanced to 3-2 on the season, 3-1 in the NWC. Willamette moved to 0-3 overall, 1-3 in the NWC.

In the top singles match, Dean rallied after Madelyn Landerfelt of L&C took the first set, 6-1. Dean won the second set in a tie-breaker, 7-6 (7-4), and eventually prevailed in a super tie-breaker played instead of a third set, 10-6. At #2 singles, Rachael Rice of the Pioneers downed Siena Ginsburg (Sr., Bend, OR/Summit HS) of WU, 6-0, 6-2. In the #3 singles match, Maca Vives from L&C outlasted Alyssa Siobhan Oberg (Grad., Roseville, CA/Oakmont HS), 7-6, in the first set. Vives won the second set, 6-0.

Other singles winners for the Pioneers were Natalie Kowal at #4, Kate Stratton at #5, and Arielle Bloom at #6.

Dean teamed with Ginsburg to win #1 doubles for the Bearcats, 8-3, over Stratton and Kowal of Lewis & Clark. In #2 doubles, Rice and Vives of L&C defeated Oberg and Paisley Lieske (So., Seattle, WA/Vashon Island HS), 8-1. At #3 doubles, Landerfelt and Bloom from L&C downed Ruby Blake (Fy., La Crosse, WI/Central HS) and McKenna Turner (Fy., Junction City, OR/Junction City HS), 8-2.

Willamette and Lewis & Clark will play another match on Sunday, March 28. Match time in Salem, Oregon, is scheduled for 3 p.m. (PDT).