Puget Sound Slips by Shorthanded Bearcats, 5-4

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

TACOMA, WASH. -- The Bearcats won #1 and #2 singles and #1 and #2 doubles, but it wasn't enough for a shorthanded Willamette University women's tennis team to hold off the University of Puget Sound, as the Loggers claimed a 5-4 victory at the UPS Tennis Pavilion on Saturday, April 2.

UPS advanced its record to 8-8 overall, 5-5 in the Northwest Conference. Willamette moved to 9-5 on the season, 6-4 in the NWC.

The Bearcats, ranked #13 in the West Region of NCAA Division III, competed without #2 singles player Shannon Palmer (Jr., Salem, OR/Sprague HS) and #3 singles player (Saint Peter, MN/Saint Peter HS).

Natalia Agarycheva (Sr., Vancouver, WA/Prairie HS/U. of Northern Colorado) and Emily Funabiki (Fr., Pullman, WA/Pullman HS) of Willamette defeated Madison Holtz and Maddie Thiesse at #1 doubles, 8-4. WU also won #2 doubles, as Fabi Dieguez (Jr., Salem, OR/Sprague HS/Oregon State Univ.) and Sabrina Gutierrez (Fr., Newbury Park, CA/Newbury Park HS) downed Marissa Friedman and Logan Thompson, 8-4.

Puget Sound took #3 doubles. Devin Fields and Ada Yu earned the win against Emily Bee (Jr., Portland, OR/Lincoln HS) and Jamie Slonaker (Sr., Bainbridge Island, WA/Bainbridge HS), 8-4.

Agarycheva, who is ranked #4 in the West Region of NCAA Division III in singles, rolled to a 6-0, 6-1 win over Holtz in the #1 singles match. Gutierrez also won easily at #2 singles for the Bearcats, as she defeated Thiesse, 6-0, 6-1.

The Loggers achieved wins at the bottom four singles positions. Jenna Gerdsen led the way at #3 singles with a victory over Dieguez, 6-1, 6-3. Also winning for UPS were Thompson at #4 singles, Yu at #5 singles and Friedman at #6 singles.

Willamette will play an exhibition match against Bellevue Community College on Sunday, April 3 in Bellevue, Wash. Match time is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. (PDT).