Willamette Ready to Play against Schreiner in Women's Tennis

By Evan Giddings, Student Assistant Athletics Communications Director

SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University women's tennis team will take on Schreiner University (Tex.) in its first weekday match of the spring season on Wednesday, March 18 at the WU Tennis Courts. Mmatch time is set for 2 p.m. (PST).

The Bearcats are 0-9 on the season and 0-6 in Northwest Conference play after being defeated by Linfield College and Lewis & Clark College last weekend. Willamette lost to Linfield, 8-1, before falling to Lewis & Clark, 9-0.

Against a Wildcat teamranked #35 in the nation in NCAA Division III and listed at #7 in the West Region, Willamette earned its only win in #2 singles, as Mikaila Smith (Fr., Mill Valley, CA/Tamalpais HS) beat Basia Kopecka in a super tie-breaker, 7-6 (8-6), 3-6, 10-3.

In #1 doubles, Smith and senior Denise Poltavski(Woodland Hills, CA/El Camino Real HS) took an early 5-2 lead, but could not deter a Linfield rally and eventually lost in a close match to Kopecka and Ella Riddle, 8-6.

This week's opponent, Schreiner, currently owns a 8-3 overall record, and is 2-0 in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.

In their last match, the Mountaineers bested Louisiana State University-Shreveport, 9-0, before heading to the Pacific Northwest for Spring Break competition. Schreiner played George Fox University on Monday, March 16, will play Linfield on Tuesday, March 17, before taking on the Bearcats on Wednesday.

Against LSU-Shreveport, Schreiners' singles lineup consisted of Leanna Haynes (Jr.), Alexandra Wheeler (So.), Karyn Swink (Jr.), Camila Anguiano (So.), Katie Watts (Fr.), and Abby Knedlik (Fr.), playing #1 through #6, respectively.

In doubles competition, the Mountaineers featured duos of Haynes and Anguiano playing #1, Swink and Knedlik competing at #2, and Wheeler and Brooke Ohlman (Jr.) finishing at #3.