Pacific Defeats Willamette, 7-2, in Friday Night Match

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

SALEM, ORE. -- Pacific University won #1 and #2 doubles to build an early lead on its way to defeating Willamette University, 7-2, in a Northwest Conference women's tennis match at the Courthouse Tennis Club on Friday, Feb. 27. Pacific moved to 3-3 on the season, 3-3 in the NWC. Willamette dropped to 1-5 overall, 1-4 in the NWC.

The Bearcats were playing their third consecutive match without #1 singles and #1 doubles player Shannon Palmer (Fr., Salem, OR/Sprague HS). Palmer missed the match due to an injury.

Pacific's #1 doubles team of Cat Goya and Megan Yoshimoto defeated Fabi Dieguez (Fr., Salem, OR/Sprague HS/Oregon State Univ.) and Abby Funabiki (Sr., Pullman, WA/Pullman HS/Quinnipiac Univ.), 8-2. The Boxers also won #2 doubles, as Jaime Yoshino and Dayna Wong prevailed in a tie-breaker to edge past Willamette's team of Kristen Dedijer-Small (Fr., Dallas, OR/Oaks Christian HS/Chemeketa CC) and Annika Moffett (Fr., Portland, OR/Lincoln HS), 9-8 (7-4).

Alyssa Morrison (Jr., Anacortes, WA/Anacortes HS) and Jamie Slonaker (So., Bainbridge Island, WA/Bainbridge HS) won #3 doubles for Willamette. They defeated Stephanie Velligas and Dawn Greene, 8-3.

The #1 doubles match featured a strong battle in the first set. Morrison led, 4-3, but Goya rallied to take a 6-5 lead. Morrison forced a tie-breaker by holding serve, but Goya took the tie-breaker and won the set, 7-6 (7-2). Goya was victorious in the second set, 6-2.

Funabiki recorded a win for Willamette at #3 singles, as she breezed past Yoshino, 6-0, 6-2. The Boxers won #2 singles and #4 singles in straight sets.

The #5 and #6 singles matches featured a super tie-breaker played instead of a third set. In each case, a Pacific player rallied after losing the first set. At #5 singles, Tessa Krebs battled back to defeat Samantha Wong (Jr., Honolulu, HI/Iolani School), 3-6, 6-4, 10-8. At #6 singles, Velligas overcame a slow start to slip past Moffett, 1-6, 7-6 (7-3), 10-8.

Willamette will travel to Portland, Ore., on Sunday, March 1 to take on Lewis & Clark College. Match time is set for 10 a.m. (PST).

Friday, Feb. 27, 2009
At Courthouse Tennis Club, Salem, Ore.

Singles
#1 - Cat Goya (PAC) defeated Alyssa Morrison (WU), 7-6 (7-2), 6-2
#2 - Megan Yoshimoto (PAC) defeated Fabi Dieguez (WU), 6-3, 6-0
#3 - Abby Funabiki (WU) defeated Jaime Yoshino (PAC), 6-0, 6-2
#4 - Dayna Wong (PAC) defeated Kristen Dedijer-Small (WU), 7-5, 6-3
#5 - Tessa Krebs (PAC) defeated Samantha Wong (WU), 3-6, 6-4, 10-8*
#6 - Stephanie Velligas (PAC) defeated Annika Moffett (WU), 1-6, 7-6 (7-3), 10-8*

Doubles
#1 - Goya and Yoshimoto (PAC) defeated Dieguez and Funabiki (WU), 8-2
#2 - Yoshino and D. Wong (PAC) defeated Dedijer-Small and Moffett (WU), 9-8 (7-4)
#3 - Morrison and Jamie Slonaker (WU) defeated Velligas and Dawn Greene (PAC), 8-3

* Tie-breaker played instead of third set.

Records:
Pacific University is 3-3 overall, 3-3 in the NWC. Willamette University is 1-5 overall, 1-4 in the NWC.