By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University swept the double matches with three close wins, then split the six singles matches, as the Bearcats downed Highline College (Wash.), 6-3, in a women's tennis exhibition match at the Salem Tennis and Swim Club on Sunday, Feb. 26. The match was an exhibition for Willamette because the NCAA does not count results against two-year colleges. Highline fell to 0-4 with the loss.

In the top doubles match, Willamette's #1 team of Richelle Suzuki (So., Mililani, HI/Mililani HS) and Anika Groener (So., Bend, OR/Summit HS) combined to hold off Riley Cordova and Princess Ventura from Highline in a tie-breaker to win 8-7 (8-6). The #2 doubles match also went to a tie-breaker, with Alexa de Crinis (Fy., Makawao, HI/Seabury Hall School) and Ruby Thompson (Sr., Bay City, OR/Tillamook HS) winning for the Bearcats against Kinsey Lockhart and Vania Moreno-Colin, 8-7 (7-3). WU's #3 doubles combo of McKenna Turner (Jr., Junction City, OR/Junction City HS) and Paisley Lieske (Sr., Seattle, WA/Vashon Island HS) outlasted Jocelyn Nguyen and Denali Terry of HC, 8-6.

The Bearcats completed the team victory by adding wins at #1, #3, and #5 singles. At #1, de Crinis won in straight sets against Cordova, 6-1, 6-3. At #3, Groener rallied to defeat Moreno-Colin in a super tie-breaker played instead of a third set, 5-7, 6-2, 10-2. In the #5 match, Turner downed Nguyen, 6-3, 6-1.

Highline won the remaining singles matches, with Lockhart earning a victory at #2, Ventura prevailing at #4, and Terry winning at #6. Lockhart held off Suzuki in the second set for a 6-0, 6-4 win. Ventura defeated Thompson 6-2, 6-3. Terry battled back to force a super tie-breaker before edging past Lieske, 1-6, 6-3, 10-4.

Willamette is slated to take on Northwest Conference rival Linfield University on Saturday, March 4 in McMinnville, Oregon. Match time is set for 11 a.m. (PST).