Nationally-Ranked Linfield Downs Bearcats in Women's Tennis, 8-1

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

SALEM, ORE. -- Linfield College, ranked ranked #35 in the nation in NCAA Division III and listed at #7 in the West Region, defeated Willamette University, 8-1, in a Northwest Conference women's tennis match on Saturday, March 14 at the Courthouse Tennis Center. The Wildcats edged out the Bearcats in all three doubles matches before winning five of six matches in singles.

The Wildcats improved to 9-3 on the season, 5-1 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 0-8 overall, 0-5 in the NWC.

Both teams played well in doubles, but the Wildcats were able to rally in the #1 match and pulled away at the #2 and #3 positions. In #1 doubles, Denise Poltavski (Sr., Woodland Hills, CA/El Camino Real HS) and Mikaila Smith (Fr., Mill Valley, CA/Tamalpais HS) of Willamette led 5-2, before Ella Riddle and Basia Kopecka rallied for an 8-6 win.

At #2 doubles, the Linfield team of Kaila Nip and Kelly Watanabe trailed 3-2, but surged ahead to win 8-4 against Willamette's team of Emily Guimont (Jr., El Dorado Hills, CA/Folsom HS) and Alicia Sohn (So., Tustin, CA/Arnold O. Beckman HS).

The #3 doubles match was won by Gretchen Jernstedt and Courtney Mostul, who held a slim 4-3 lead versus Ellen Rumley (Fr., Anchorage, AK/East Anchorage HS) and Ashley Evans (Fr., Canby, OR/Canby HS) before winning 8-4.

At #1 singles, Riddle of Linfield outscored Poltavski, 6-4, 6-3.

Willamette's only victory of the match was earned by Smith at #2 singles, where she slipped past Kopecka by winning a regular tie-breaker in the first set and taking a super tie-breaker played instead of a third set. Smith won 7-6 (8-6), 3-6, 10-3. Smith and Kopecka were tied 1-1 early in the super tie-breaker, but Smith pulled away for an 9-2 lead.

Nip of Linfield was unable to play in singles due to an injury. She was originally listed at the #3 position, so the Wildcats shifted their lineup.

In #3 singles, Marisa Doveri defeated Guimont, 6-0, 6-2, while Marisa Kume won for the Wildcats, 6-2, 6-1 at #4 singles. The #5 singles match was won by Watanabe over Katie Adams (Fr., McLean, VA/American International School), 6-0, 6-0. At #6 singles, Jernstedt moved through the first set before holding off Evans, 6-0, 6-3.