Agarycheva Advances to Semifinals in Women's Tennis Regional Action

By Sara Elcano, Assistant Athletics Communications Director

WALLA WALLA, WASH. -- Willamette University's Natalia Agarycheva (Sr., Vancouver, WA/Univ. of Northern Colo.) has advanced to the semifinals in singles at the USTA/ITA Small College Northwest Regional championships, hosted by Whitman College. Agarycheva won two matches on Sunday, Sept. 26 to advance to the semifinals.

Agarycheva, the #1 seed, cruised to victory in the Round of 16 against Caroline Brigham of Linfield College. She defeated Brigham 6-1, 6-3. In the quarterfinals, Agarycheva was victorious against Alli Marshall of Whitworth University. She defeated the #6-seeded Marshall, 6-2, 7-6 (9-7).

Agarycheva will face the #4 seed, Alyssa Roberg from Whitman College, in the semifinals on Monday, Sept. 27 at 9 a.m. (PDT). Each of the top four seeds advanced to the semifinals. The winners of the semifinal matches will face each other in the championship match at 11:30 a.m. (PDT).

Fabi Dieguez (Jr., Salem, OR/Sprague HS) also competed in singles action on Sunday. Dieguez lost, 6-0, 6-0, to Elise Otto of Whitman College in the Round of 16. Otto was the #5 seed in the tournament.

In doubles play, Agarycheva and Dieguez won 8-3 over Erica Bosman and Marshall of Whitworth to advance to the semifinals. The WU duo lost 8-4 in the semifinals to Otto and Roberg from Whitman. Otto and Roberg entered the tournament as the top-seeded doubles team.

Five Willamette players, Emily Funabiki (Fr., Pullman, WA/Pullman HS), Sabrina Gutierrez (Fr., Newbury Park, CA/Newbury Park HS), Katie Huber (So., St. Peter, MN/St. Peter HS), Lindsay Michaelson (So., Wahiawa, HI/Leilehua HS) and Kate Thurber (So., Salem, OR/South Salem HS) have advanced to the third round of the consolation singles bracket.