By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

NEWBERG, Ore. -- Several Willamette University women's tennis players competed in the early rounds of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Northwest Regional Championships on Saturday, Sept. 25. The tournament is hosted by George Fox University. In the championship singles bracket, Richelle Suzuki (Fy., Mililani, HI/Mililani HS) of Willamette won her first round match. Suzuki and teammate Anika Groener (Fy., Bend, OR/Summit HS) combined to win their first match in the championship doubles bracket.

Suzuki opened singles play by rallying from a set down to defeat Froukje Lakerveld of Whitworth University, 0-6, 6-0, 10-4. Suzuki swept through the second set before downing Lakerveld in a super tie-breaker played instead of a third set. In the second round, Lexie Matsunaga from Linfield University moved past Suzuki, 6-1, 6-2. Suzuki will play in the first round winner's back draw against Soraya Young-Pen of Lewis & Clark College on Sunday, Sept. 26 at 9:30 a.m. (PDT).

Also competing for Willamette in the first round of the championship singles bracket were Groener, McKenna Turner (So., Junction City OR/Junction City HS), and Ruby Thompson (So., Bay City, OR/Tillamook HS). Groener lost Gracie Smyley of Whitworth, 6-3, 6-3. Turner fell to Camilla Tarpey-Schwed from Whitman College, 6-0, 6-0. Thompson was defeated by Meggie Burnett of Pacific Lutheran University, 6-0, 6-0

In the consolation singles bracket, Kyndal Locati of Whitworth advanced past Turner after Turner had to retire with Locati leading 7-0. Also in consolation singles action, Groener defeated Libertad Samiento of PLU, 8-1, while Grace Bethards from Whitworth downed Thompson, 8-0. Groener will take on Arielle Bloom of Lewis & Clark in the second round of consolation singles on Sunday, Sept. 26 at 10:30 a.m. (PDT).

Suzuki and Groener won their match in the first round of championship doubles by edging out Paige Shinnall and Marissa Perez from the University of Puget Sound, 8-6. In the second round, Suzuki and Groener were defeated by Ilina Jha and Tarpey-Schwed of Whitman, 8-0.

Also in the opening round of doubles, WU's team of Turner and Thompson lost to Allena Wong and Sarah Forester of Linfield, 8-0. In the first round of consolation doubles, Turner and Thompson fell to Rachel Heinke and Hyla Chatham from Puget Sound, 8-0.

The ITA Northwest Regional Championships will continue through Monday, Sept. 27.