Bearcats Sweep Singles in 8-1 Win over Pacific

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

FOREST GROVE, ORE. -- Natalia Agarycheva (Jr., Vancouver, WA/Prairie HS/Univ. of Northern Colorado) won #1 singles and teamed up with Shanon Palmer (So., Salem, OR/Sprague HS) to win #1 doubles, leading Willamette University to an 8-1 victory over Pacific University in Northwest Conference action on Friday, Feb. 19. The Bearcats improved to 3-1 overall, 3-1 in the NWC. Pacific fell to 1-3 on the season, 1-3 in the conference.

Agarycheva defeated Cat Goya of Pacific, 6-1, 6-2, in the top singles match. The #1 doubles match was won by Agarycheva and Palmer, 9-8 (7-1), in a tie-breaker, as they prevailed over Goya and Megan Yoshimoto.

WU also won #3 doubles, with Jamie Slonaker (Jr., Bainbridge Island, WA/Bainbridge HS) and Kate Thurber (Fr., Salem, OR/South Salem HS) defeating Stephanie Velligas and Dawn Greene of Pacific, 8-3. Pacific's lone win was at #2 doubles, as Dayne Wong and Rachel Mizuno outlasted Fabi Dieguez (Jr., Salem, OR/Sprague HS/Oregon State Univ.) and Alyssa Morrison (Sr., Anacortes, WA/Anacortes HS), 9-7.

Willamette did not lose a set during the singles competition. Even so, two of the matches included a tie-breaker to decide a set. At #2 singles, Palmer edged Past Yoshimoto, 7-6, in the first set, before taking the second set, 6-2. At #4 singles, Dieguez of WU won the first set against Mizuno, 6-3, then claimed a close win in the second set, 7-6.

The Bearcats will travel to Tacoma, Wash., to take on the University of Puget Sound in Northwest Conference action on Saturday, Feb. 20. Match time is scheduled for 1 p.m. (PST).

Friday, Feb. 19
At Holce Tennis Courts, Forest Grove, Ore.

Willamette University 8, Pacific University 1

Singles
#1 - Natalia Agarycheva (WU) defeated Cat Goya (PAC), 6-1, 6-2
#2 - Shannon Palmer (WU) defeated Megan Yoshimoto (PAC), 7-6, 6-2
#3 - Alyssa Morrison (WU) defeated Dayna Wong (PAC), 6-4, 6-0
#4 - Fabi Dieguez (WU) defeated Rachel Mizuno (PAC), 6-3, 7-6
#5 - Kate Thurber (WU) defeated Stephanie Velligas (PAC), 6-4, 6-3
#6 - Jamie Slonaker (WU) defeated Dawn Greene (PAC), 6-1, 6-4

Doubles
#1 - Agarycheva and Palmer (WU) defeated Goya and Yoshimoto (PAC), 9-8 (7-1)
#2 - Wong and Mizuno (PAC) defeated Dieguez and Morrison (WU), 9-7
#3 - Slonaker and Thurber (WU) defeated Velligas and Greene (PAC), 8-3

Records:
Willamette University is 3-1 overall, 3-1 NWC. Pacific University is 1-3 overall, 1-3 NWC.