Pacific Edges Bearcats, 5-4

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

FOREST GROVE, ORE. -- Pacific University won all three doubles matches, but won just two matches in singles, as the Boxers held off Willamette University for a 5-4 victory on Saturday, Feb. 25 at the Holce Tennis Courts. The Boxers moved to 4-1 on the season, 3-1 in the Northwest Conference. Willamette fell to 2-2 overall, 0-2 in the NWC.

Two of the three doubles matches were very close.

Pacific's team of Cathlene Goya and Megan Yoshimoto won #1 doubles, 8-6, over Shannon Palmer (Sr., Salem, OR/Sprague HS) and Sabrina Gutierrez (So., Newbury Park, CA/Newbury Park HS). At #2 doubles, Kelsey Trujillo and Lillian Do of Pacific outlasted Emily Bee (Sr., Portland, OR/Lincoln HS) and Denise Poltavski (Fr., Woodland Hills, CA/El Camino Real HS), 8-6.

Rachel Mizuno and Amber Craviotto won for the Boxers at #3 doubles, 7-2, when WU's team of Katie Huber (Jr., St. Peter, MN/St. Peter HS) and Emily Funabiki (So., Pullman, WA/Pullman HS) retired due to injury.

The 3-0 lead gave Pacific a cushion that it needed once singles play started. Willamette won #2, #3, #5 and #6 singles in straight sets to tighten up the match.

Gutierrez took #2 singles against Yoshimoto, 6-2, 6-4. Poltavski gained an edge on Mizuno at #3 singles to win, 6-4, 7-5. At #5 singles, Funabiki won a close match, 6-4, 6-4, over Craviotto. The #6 singles match was won by Elise Derby (Fr., Oakdale, CA/Oakdale HS), 6-3, 6-2, over Kelsey Lack.

Pacific's two wins in singles were earned by Goya at the #1 position and by Do in the #4 match. Goya downed Palmer, 6-1, 6-2. Do won a tight first set with Bee, 7-5, before taking the second set, 6-2.

Willamette will return to the courts on Friday, March 2 with a Northwest Conference home match against Lewis & Clark College. The action is scheduled to start at the Willamette University Tennis Courts at 4 p.m. (PST). WU defeated L&C, 6-3, on Feb. 10 in a non-conference match-up.