By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University women's tennis team won four singles matches as the Bearcats defeated College of Idaho, 6-3, on Friday, Feb. 23 at the Salem Tennis and Swim Club. Winners for the Bearcats in singles were Anika Groener (Jr., Bend, OR/Summit HS) at #3, Eva Lief (Fy., Anchorage, AK/West Anchorage HS) at #4, Ruby Thompson (Grad., Bay City, OR/Tillamook HS) at #5, and Alicia Sola (Fy., Aumsville, OR/Cascade HS) at #6. The Bearcats evened their record at 2-2, while C of I fell to 3-8.

Groener and Anna Willcuts played three sets at #3 singles, with Groener winning, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4. Lief took both sets at #4 singles against Lizzy Sagehorn, 6-3, 6-1.

At #5 singles, Thompson fought through two tie-breakers with Lauren Osburn to win 7-6, 7-6. In the first tie-breaker, Thompson took a 7-4 win, in the second tie-breaker, Thompson outscored Osburn, 14-12. At #6 singles, Sola downed Hailey Mace of the Yotes, 6-4, 6-3.

College of Idaho grabbed wins at #1 singles and #2 singles. In the top match, Lauren Kreutzer defeated Alexa de Crinis (So., Makawao, HI/Seabury Hall School) of Willamette, 6-1, 6-1. In the #2 singles match, Nicole Tran won for the Yotes against Richelle Suzuki (Jr., Mililani, HI/Mililani HS), 6-3, 6-2.

In doubles, Willamette earned victories at the #2 and #3 positions. The #1 match was won by College of Idaho's team of Kreutzer and Tran, as they outscored Suzuki and Groener, 8-4. At #2 doubles, WU's combination of de Crinis and Lief registered an 8-4 win against Willcuts and Sagehorn. Thompson and Sola won #3 doubles over Osburn and Mace, 8-2.

Up next for the Bearcats is a non-conference match at George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon, on Sunday, Feb. 25. The match is slated to get underway at 11 a.m.