Whitman Defeats Bearcats, 7-2, in Final Regular Season Match

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

WALLA WALLA, WASH. -- Whitman College defeated Willamette University, 7-2, on Sunday, April 11 in Northwest Conference women's tennis action. It was the final regular season match of the year for the Bearcats, who will continue with postseason play at the NWC Tournament, April 16-17 in Yakima, Wash.

Willamette moved to 11-8 overall, 10-6 in the NWC. Whitman improved to 14-8 overall, including 12-4 in the NWC. Whitman will be seeded #3 and Willamette will be the #4 seed in the NWC Tournament. Six teams qualify for the tournament, with the top two seed receiving first round byes.

In first round NWC Tournament match-ups, Whitman will play #6-seeded Pacific University (6-10) and the Bearcats will battle #5-seeded Lewis & Clark College (9-7). Whitworth University, the regular season champion at 15-1, and Linfield, which finished second at 14-2, will take on the first round winners in the semifinals.

Willamette's Natalia Agarycheva (Jr., Vancouver, WA/Prairie HS/U. of Northern Colorado) remained solid at #1 singles, as she downed Alyssa Roberg in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4, to improve to 14-1 in NWC action this season. Agarycheva, ranked #7 in the West Region of NCAA Division III, upped her overall record to 16-2. Roberg is ranked 19th in the West Region.

Katie Huber (Fr., St. Peter, MN/St. Peter HS) and Emily Bee (So., Portland, OR/Lincoln HS) kept the Bearcats close during doubles, as they defeated Kate Kunkel-Patterson and Emily Rolston in the #3 match, 8-6.

Whitman prevailed at #1 and #2 doubles, including a narrow 8-6 win at #1 by Roberg and Elise Otto over Agarycheva and Shannon Palmer (So., Salem, OR/Sprague HS). Hadley DeBree and Divneet Kaur earned the win at #2 doubles.

The Missionaries swept the #2 through #6 singles matches. The only match to go three sets involved Rolston of Whitman and Alyssa Morrison (Sr., Anacortes, WA/Anacortes HS) of Willamette. Rolston won the first set, 6-4, but Morrison bounced back with a 6-1 triumph in the second set. Rolston outscored Morrison in a super tie-breaker played instead of a third set, 10-7.

Sunday, April 11
At Whitman Outdoor Courts, Walla Walla, Wash.

Whitman College 7, Willamette University 2

Singles
#1 - Natalia Agarycheva (WU) defeated Alyssa Roberg (WTMN), 6-2, 6-4
#2 - Elise Otto (WTMN) defeated Shannon Palmer (WU), 6-2, 6-2
#3 - Hadley DeBree (WTMN) defeated Katie Huber (WU), 6-3, 7-5
#4 - Divneet Kaur (WTMN) defeated Fabi Dieguez (WU), 6-0, 6-0
#5 - Emily Rolston (WTMN) defeated Alyssa Morrison (WU), 6-4, 1-6, 1-0 (10-7)*
#6 - Kate Kunkel-Patterson (WTMN) defeated Jamie Slonaker (WU), 6-0, 6-0

Doubles
#1 - Otto and Robert (WTMN) defeated Agarycheva and Palmer (WU), 8-6
#2 - DeBree and Kaur (WTMN) defeated Morrison and Dieguez (WU), 8-4
#3 - Huber and Emily Bee (WU) defeated Kunkel-Patterson and Rolston (WTMN), 8-6

* Tie-breaker played instead of a third set

Records:
Whitman College is 14-8 overall, 12-4 NWC. Willamette University is 11-8 overall, 10-6 NWC.