Gutierrez and Poltavski Improve to 11-1 with Victory at #1 Doubles
FOREST GROVE, ORE. -- Willamette University won all three doubles matches and then split the six singles matches, as the Bearcats defeated Pacific University, 6-3, on Saturday, April 12 at the Holce Tennis Courts.
The victory gave WU a sweep of the season series with Pacific. In the first meeting of the season, the Bearcats downed the Boxers 7-2 at the WU Tennis Courts on March 15.
Willamette improved its record to 5-7 overall, including 3-7 in the Northwest Conference. Pacific dropped to 2-12 on the season, 0-10 in the NWC.
Senior Sabrina Gutierrez (Newbury Park, CA/Newbury Park HS) and junior Denise Poltavski (Woodland Hills, CA/El Camino Real HS) won their ninth consecutive #1 doubles match with an 8-4 triumph over Kaitlyn Lomartire and Kelsey Lack. Gutierrez and Poltavski upped their overall record to 11-1, including 9-1 in NWC action.
The Bearcats gained a big lead by also prevailing at #2 and #3 doubles.
In the #2 match, Alicia Sohn (Fr., Tustin, CA/Arnold O. Beckman HS) and Nebraska Lucas (Fr., Portland, OR/Cleveland HS) downed Carlee Rhodaback and Danielle Wicks, 8-4. The #3 match was won by Taylor Coggeshall (Fr., Sacramento, CA/Rio Americano HS) and Olina Cavedoni (Fr., Kamuela, HI/Hawaii Preparatory Academy) over Esbeida Ramos and Kelly Flores, 8-1.
Willamette added wins at #2, #3 and #4 singles to secure the team victory. Poltavski won #2 singles by nearly sweeping past Rhodaback, 6-1, 6-0. Sohn also won 6-1, 6-0, as she defeated Wicks at #3 singles. Lucas took the win at #4 singles against Lack in a super tie-breaker played instead of a third set, 6-3, 4-6, 10-4.
Lomartire of Pacific also won in a super tie-breaker to slip past Gutierrez. Lomartire claimed the first set 6-2, but Gutierrez evened things up with a 7-6 (7-4) win in the second set. Lomartire outscored Gutierrez 10-7 in the super tie-breaker.
Additional tie-breakers were involved at #5 and #6 singles. In the #5 match, Danielle Hunter from Pacific outlasted Coggeshall, 7-6 (9-7), 4-6, 10-7. At #6, Ramos won after Cavedoni had to retire prior to the start of the second set. Cavedoni was leading after a victory in the first set, 7-6 (8-6).
Willamette will conclude the season with two home matches. The Bearcats will take on Whitworth University on Friday, April 18 at 2 p.m. (PDT) and will face Whitman College on Saturday, April 19 at 9:30 a.m. Both matches will be at the WU Tennis Courts, but will move to the Courthouse Tennis Center (1379 Madison St. NE) if the weather is bad.
BOX SCORE
Willamette University 6Pacific University 3