By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
TACOMA, Wash. -- The team score between Willamette University and the University of Puget Sound was tied 4-4 after eight of nine matches on Saturday, March 9 at the Puget Sound Tennis Pavilion. That's when Willamette University senior and team captain Anika Groener (Jr., Bend, OR/Summit HS) won #3 singles over Krishna Agrawal from the University of Puget Sound in three sets, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, to provide the decisive point as the Bearcats defeated the Loggers, 5-4.
Willamette improved to 3-5 on the season, 1-2 in the Northwest Conference. Puget Sound fell to 0-7 overall, 0-3 in the NWC.
The Bearcats took a 2-1 lead in doubles after almost sweeping the doubles competition. WU grabbed wins at #1 doubles and #3 doubles. In the top match, Alexa de Crinis (So., Makawao, HI/Seabury Hall School) and Ruby Thompson (Grad., Bay City, OR/Tillamook HS) downed Kaylee Yamada and Agrawal, 8-4. At #3 doubles, the Bearcats' team of Groener and Alicia Sola moved past Zoe Richter and Ella Parker, 8-3. The #2 doubles match went to Marissa Perez and Hyla Chatham of the Loggers in a tie-breaker, 8-7 (9-7), over Richelle Suzuki (Jr., Mililani, HI/Mililani HS) and Eva Lief (Fy., Anchorage, AK/West Anchorage HS).
Led by Groener's decisive win at the #3 position, the Bearcats split the singles matches to maintain their one-point margin. At #2 singles, De Crinis edged out Perez in the first set with a strong tie-breaker, 7-6 (7-1), before claiming the second set, 6-1. In the #4 singles match, Lief defeated Chatham in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2.
The Loggers gained victories at #1, #5, and #6 singles. In the #1 singles match, Yamada downed Suzuki, 6-2, 6-2. At #5 singles, Richter held off Thompson in both sets for a 7-5, 6-4 win. At #6 singles, Parker won against Sola, 6-3, 6-2.
Willamette will be back in action on Saturday, March 16 when the Bearcats will battle NWC rival Whitworth University. The match is set for 11 a.m. PDT in Salem, Oregon, at the WU Tennis Courts if weather permits or at the Salem Tennis and Swim Club if the competition has to move indoors.
