Groener Plays into Super Tie-Breaker at #3 Singles, but WU Loses to L&C

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Anika Groener (Sr., Bend, OR/Summit HS) of Willamette University and Emma Loucks of Lewis & Clark College needed a super tie-breaker to decide the winner of their match at #3 singles on Sunday, March 3 at the LC Tennis Dome. Loucks outlasted Groener, 6-3, 1-6, 10-7, to win the singles match, helping the Pioneers win the overall competition in Northwest Conference play, 9-0. L&C advanced its record to 3-5 on the season, 1-1 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 2-5, 0-2 in the NWC.

L&C won the battle with the Bearcats at all three doubles positions to claim an early lead.

At #1 doubles, Susanna Anand and Seraphina Vossen of the Pioneers downed Groener and Alexa de Crinis (So., Makawao, HI/Seabury Hall School), 8-3. The closest doubles match was at #2, where Arielle Bloom and Charlotte Makoni outscored Richelle Suzuki (Jr., Mililani, HI/Mililani HS) and Eva Lief (Fy., Anchorage, AK/West Anchorage HS), 8-4. L&C's #3 doubles team of Loucks and Kacie Lau defeated Alicia Sola (Fy., Aumsville, OR/Cascade HS) and Ruby Thompson (Grad., Bay City, OR/Tillamook HS) of WU, 8-2.

Anand moved past Suzuki #1 singles, as she claimed a 6-1, 6-2 victory. Vossen won versus de Crinis at #2 singles, 6-3, 6-2, and Hayley Kreps took the #4 singles match against Lief, 6-3, 6-2. Also winning in singles for the Pioneers were Bloom at the #5 position and Makoni at #6.

Willamette will travel to Tacoma, Washington, to take on the University of Puget Sound on Saturday, March 9. Match time for the Northwest Conference encounter is set for 11 a.m. PST.