Willamette Upends Loggers from Puget Sound, 7-2

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

SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University won five singles matches and two doubles matches on Saturday, Feb. 6, as the Bearcats opened the spring season with a 7-2 victory over the University of Puget Sound at the Courthouse Tennis Club. Willamette is 1-0 on the season, 1-0 in the NWC. Puget Sound, which also opened its season, is 0-1 overall and 0-1 in the NWC.

Natalia Agarycheva (Jr., Vancouver, WA/Prairie HS/U. of Northern Colorado) of Willamette, who is ranked #9 in the West Region of NCAA Division III in singles, defeated Samantha Taylor of Puget Sound at the #1 position, 6-0, 6-0.

Agarycheva and Shannon Palmer (So., Salem, OR/Sprague HS), ranked #6 in the West Region in doubles, easily downed Taylor and Madison Holtz of Puget Sound, 8-1, at the #1 doubles position.

The win at #1 doubles was matched by WU's #2 doubles team of Fabi Dieguez (Jr., Salem, OR/Sprague HS/Oregon State Univ.) and Alyssa Morrison (Sr., Anacortes, WA/Anacortes HS), who rolled past Ada Yu and Maddie Thiesse, 8-1.

Puget Sound picked up a victory at #3 doubles. Ashley Dombrow and Katie Hurley recorded the win for the Loggers, as they edged out Katie Huber (Fr., St. Peter, MN/St. Peter HS) and Kate Thurber (Fr., Salem, OR/South Salem HS), 8-6.

Willamette's 2-1 lead expanded during singles play. Agarycheva led the way, while Palmer added a 6-0, 6-1 win over Holtz at #2 singles.

Also winning singles matches for Willamette were Huber at #3, Morrison at #5 and Thurber at #6. All five singles victories for the Bearcats came in straight sets, although Huber needed a close win in the second set to sweep Thiesse, 6-1, 7-5.

The only singles triumph for Puget Sound was earned at #4 singles, where Yu narrowly defeated Dieguez, 6-4, 7-6. Yu won the tie-breaker in the second set, 7-5.

Willamette will compete again on Thursday, Feb. 11 at Linfield College. Start time for the Northwest Conference match is 3:30 p.m. (PST).

Saturday, Feb. 6
At Courthouse Tennis Club, Salem, Ore.

Willamette University 7, University of Puget Sound 2

Singles
#1 - Natalia Agarycheva (WU) defeated Samantha Taylor (UPS), 6-0, 6-0
#2 - Shannon Palmer (WU) defeated Madison Holtz (UPS), 6-0, 6-1
#3 - Katie Huber (WU) defeated Maddie Thiesse (UPS), 6-1, 7-5
#4 - Ada Yu (UPS) defeated Fabi Dieguez (WU), 6-4, 7-6 (7-5)
#5 - Alyssa Morrison (WU) defeated Devin Fields (UPS), 6-0, 6-0
#6 - Kate Thurber (WU) defeated Ashley Dombrow (UPS), 6-2, 6-2

Doubles
#1 - Agarycheva and Palmer (WU) defeated Taylor and Holtz (UPS), 8-1
#2 - Dieguez and Morrison (WU) defeated Yu and Thiesse (UPS), 8-1
#3 - Dombrow and Katie Hurley (UPS) defeated Huber and Thurber (WU), 8-6

Records:
Willamette University is 1-0 overall, 1-0 NWC. University of Puget Sound is 0-1 overall, 0-1 NWC.