By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

NEWBERG, Ore. -- Willamette University fell to George Fox University in a non-conference women's tennis match, 9-0, on Sunday, Feb. 25. The Bruins improved to 4-1 on the season. Willamette dropped to 2-3.

The Bruins excelled in doubles and built a 3-0 lead. The doubles winners for GFU were Kalli Wiker and Kylie Hull at #1, Riley Bobkiewicz and Shanah Denham at #2, and Elizabeth Cook and Abigail Bond at #3.

At #3 singles, Hull outlasted Willamette's Anika Groener (Jr., Bend, OR/Summit HS) in the first set, 7-5, and then won the second set, 6-1. In the #4 singles match, Arianna Rader of GFU defeated Eva Lief (Fy., Anchorage, AK/West Anchorage HS) in the first set, 6-2, then held off Lief in the second set, 6-4.

Ruby Thompson (Grad., Bay City, OR/Tillamook HS) of WU battled Denham in the first set before losing 6-4. Denham won the second set, 6-1. At #6 singles, Cassey Hitch of the Bruins downed Alicia Sola (Fy., Aumsville, OR/Cascade HS) of the Bearcats, 6-3, 6-0. Other winners in singles for GFU were Wiker at #1 and Bobkiewicz at #2.

The Bearcats will be back in action on Saturday, March 2, when they will open Northwest Conference action by hosting Linfield University. Match time is set for 11 a.m. PST at the WU Tennis Courts on the Willamette campus if weather permits. If the match has to move indoors, it will be held at the Salem Tennis and Swim Club.