Willamette Knocks Down Loggers, 5-4

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

TACOMA, WASH. -- Willamette University built a 2-1 lead in doubles and then won the top three singles matches to edge out the University of Puget Sound, 5-4, in a Northwest Conference women's tennis match on Friday, March 9 at the UPS Tennis Pavilion. WU moved to 4-3 overall, 2-3 in the NWC, while UPS dropped to 3-5, 3-4 in the NWC.

Shannon Palmer (Sr., Salem, OR/Sprague HS) and Sabrina Gutierrez (So., Newbury Park, CA/Newbury Park HS) led Willamette in doubles, winning the #1 match with an 8-0 shutout against Madison Holtz and Josephine Dow.

WU also took #2 doubles, as Denise Poltavski (Fr., Woodland Hills, CA/El Camino Real HS) and Emily Bee (Sr., Portland, OR/Lincoln HS) outscored Logan Thompson and Marissa Friedman, 8-5.

Puget Sound won #3 doubles. Ada Yu and Maddie Thiesse defeated Willamette's team of Elise Derby (Fr., Oakdale, CA/Oakdale HS) and Hailey Arnold (Fr., Winnetka, IL/Lake Forest Academy), 8-3.

The Bearcats fell behind 4-2 after the Loggers won the #4, #5, and #6 singles matches, which were the first three singles matches to conclude. Thompson downed Bee, 6-0, 6-0, in the #4 match. Friedman added a victory for the Loggers in the #5 match over Derby, 6-0, 6-1. Dow defeated Arnold, 6-1, 6-3, in the #6 match.

It wasn't long before WU pulled within a single point in the team score, as Palmer won for the Bearcats over Holtz at #1 singles, 6-0, 6-0.

Willamette prevailed in the final two matches, as Gutierrez claimed #2 singles and Poltavski took #3 singles. Gutierrez defeated Jenna Gerdsen, 6-3, 6-1, to tie the overall match at 4-4. Poltavski held off Thiesse, 6-4, 6-3, to complete Willamette's comeback.

The Bearcats will play at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Wash., on Saturday, March 10. The action is set to get underway at 12:30 p.m. (PDT).