By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

FOREST GROVE, ORE. -- The Willamette University women's tennis team defeated Pacific University, 7-2, on Friday, March 11 in a Northwest Conference match. Willamette improved to 5-4 on the season, including 5-3 in the NWC. Pacific dropped to 2-3 overall, 2-3 in the conference.

WU took control early in the match by achieving victories at all three doubles positions. In the #1 doubles match, Natalia Agarycheva (Sr., Vancouver, WA/Prairie HS/U. of Northern Colorado) and Shannon Palmer (Jr., Salem, OR/Sprague HS) blanked Pacific's team of Cat Goya and Megan Yoshimoto, 8-0.

At #2 doubles, Sabrina Gutierrez (Fr., Newbury Park, CA/Newbury Park HS) and Jamie Slonaker (Sr., Bainbridge Island, WA/Bainbridge HS) of WU defeated Stephanie Velligas and Kelsey Trujillo, 8-4. At #3 doubles, the winners for Willamette were Emily Bee (Jr., Portland, OR/Lincoln HS) and Katie Huber (So., St. Peter, MN/St. Peter HS), as they shut out Traci Mo and Rachel Mizuno.

The Bearcats added wins in four of the singles matches.

Agarycheva held off Goya at #1 singles to provide WU with a 6-3, 7-5 victory. Yoshimoto of Pacific defeated Palmer, 6-4, 6-3, at #2 singles, while Gutierrez of WU rolled past Trujillo at #3 singles, 6-1, 6-1.

The #4 singles match was won by Velligas for the Boxers. She edged out Slonaker in a super tie-breaker played instead of a third set, 3-6, 6-4, 10-4.

Bee won #5 singles for WU with a 6-0, 6-0 score against Kelsey Lack. Emily Funabiki (Fr., Pullman, WA/Pullman HS) of Willamette defeated Mo at #6 singles, 6-2, 6-0.

Willamette returns to action on Sunday, March 13, when the Bearcats will host Lewis & Clark College at 1 p.m. (PDT). The match will be played at the Courthouse Tennis Club at 1379 Madison St. NE in Salem, Ore.