By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

ABILENE, Texas -- Willamette's #2 doubles team of Ruby Thompson (Grad., Bay City, OR/Tillamook HS) and Alexa de Crinis (So., Makawao, HI/Seabury Hall School) defeated Brenna Gordon and Addyson Tylaska of Hardin-Simmons University on Thursday, March 28, but the Cowgirls won the overall women's tennis match, 8-1, at the Streich Tennis Center. Hardin-Simmons, ranked #8 in the West Region of NCAA Division III by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), improved to 7-6 on the season, while Willamette fell to 3-9.

Thompson and de Crinis moved past Gordon and Tylaska for an 8-2 victory. The Cowgirls earned wins at #1 doubles and #3 doubles to take a 2-1 lead into singles action. In the top doubles match, Laurel Coleman and Jonnah Smith of HSU outscored Richelle Suzuki (Jr., Mililani, HI/Mililani HS) and Anika Groener (Sr., Bend, OR/Summit HS) of Willamette, 8-5. At #3 doubles, HSU's Christa Bennett and Halle Smith defeated Alicia Sola (Fy., Aumsville, OR/Cascade HS) and Eva Lief (Fy., Anchorage, AK/West Anchorage HS), 8-2.

Jonnah Smith grabbed a 6-1 win against Suzuki in the first set at #2 singles. Susuki battled in the second set before Smith won 6-4 to take the match. At #6 singles, Halle Smith won in straight sets, but had to hold off Sola each time on her way to a 6-3, 6-3 victory. Gordon defeated Groener at #3 singles, 6-2, 6-2. Also winning singles matches for HSU were Coleman at #1, Triniti McBride at #4, and Tylaska at #5.

Willamette is scheduled to host Whitman College in a Northwest Conference match on Sunday, March 31. Plans are for the action to begin at 11 a.m. on the WU Tennis Courts. If the match has to be moved indoors, it will be played at the Salem Tennis and Swim Club.