By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

NEWBERG, Ore. -- Willamette University women's tennis players Sarah Dean (Sr., Boise, ID/Timberline HS) at #1 singles and Camille Gibney (Fy., La Crescenta, CA/Crescenta Valley HS) at #6 singles provided strong competition against George Fox University on Saturday, April 10, but the Bruins defeated the Bearcats, 9-0. GFU moved its record to 6-1 on the season, 4-1 in the NWC. Willamette dropped to 0-6 overall, 1-5 in the NWC.

At #1 singles, Dean took GFU's Sophia Lawrence into a tie-breaker in the first set, before Lawrence prevailed 7-6 (7-5), 6-2. Gibney won the first set against Abigail Ramer, 6-4, in the #6 singles match. Ramer grabbed the second set, 6-1, and then edged out Gibney 10-5 in a super tie-breaker played instead of a third set.

The Bruins built a 3-0 lead in doubles. In the top doubles match, Lawrence and Laney Search of GFU downed Dean and Siena Ginsburg (Sr., Bend, OR/Summit HS), 8-1. At #2 doubles, Ellie Mangan and Olivia Morris won for George Fox, 8-2, over Alyssa Siobhan Oberg (Grad., Roseville, CA/Oakmont HS) and Paisley Lieske (So., Seattle, WA/Vashon Island HS).  At #3 doubles., Taylor Morris and Danielle Brown defeated McKenna Turner (Fy., Junction City, OR/Junction City HS) and Ruby Blake (Fy., La Crosse, WI/Central HS) of WU, 8-1.

Morris won #2 singles for GFU against Ginsburg, 6-2, 6-3. In addition to Lawrence, Ramer, and Morris, other winners for the Bruins in singles play were Alyssa Byde at #3, Emily McDonald at #4, and VanderYacht at #5.

Willamette and George Fox will meet again on Sunday, April 11. The match is set to begin at 11 a.m. (PDT) at the WU Tennis Courts in Salem, Oregon.