Thompson and de Crinis Win Tie-Breaker at #2 Doubles against Pirates

Ruby Thompson hits a groundstroke from the baseline. — Ruby Thompson (Grad., Bay City, OR/Tillamook HS)

March 16, 2024

Team Stats

Game Statistics	Whitworth	Willamette
Score	7	2

Doubles

Smyley, Gracie / Oliver, Paige def. Suzuki, Richelle / Groener, Anika 8-5
Thompson, Ruby / de Crinis, Alexa def. Bedford, Meredith / Turner-Esposito, J. 8-7 (8-6)
Corbett, Olivia / McArthur, Morgan def. Lief, Eva / Sola, Alicia 8-1

Singles

Smyley, Gracie def. de Crinis, Alexa 6-4 , 6-2
Oliver, Paige def. Suzuki, Richelle 6-4 , 6-1
Groener, Anika def. Budge, Natalie 0-6 , 7-5 , 1-0 (10-8)
Turner-Esposito, J. def. Lief, Eva 6-4 , 6-2
Judson, Audrey def. Thompson, Ruby 6-4 , 6-3
Corbett, Olivia def. Sola, Alicia 6-4 , 6-3

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Ruby Thompson (Grad., Bay City, OR/Tillamook HS) and Alexa de Crinis (So., Makawao, HI/Seabury Hall School) of Willamette University outlasted Whitworth University's #2 doubles team to grab an 8-7 (8-6) win in a tie-breaker, but the Pirates won the overall match 7-2 at the WU Tennis Courts on Saturday, March 16. Anika Groener (Sr., Bend, OR/Summit HS) also won for the Bearcats as she was victorious at #3 singles in a super tie-breaker played instead of a third set.

Whitworth upped its record to 6-4 overall, including 4-1 in the Northwest Conference. Willamette dropped to 3-6 on the season, 1-3 in the NWC.

Thompson and de Crinis had to battle to earn their tie-breaker win over Meredith Bedford and Jordan Turner-Esposito, but it limited the Pirates to a 2-1 lead in the team standings following the doubles competition.

The Pirates edge out Willamette at #1 doubles, as Gracie Smyley and Paige Oliver defeated Richelle Suzuki (Jr., Mililani, HI/Mililani HS) and Groener, 8-5. At #3 doubles, Olivia Corbett and Morgan McArthur downed Eva Lief (Fy., Anchorage, AK/West Anchorage HS) and Alicia Sola (Fy., Aumsville, OR/Cascade HS) of the Bearcats, 8-1.

Whitworth clinched the overall match by gaining a 5-1 edge in singles play. Even so, five of the 10 sets taken by the Pirates in matches they won in singles were by a 6-4 margin, and two other sets were decided at 6-3.

Groener's win at #3 singles was against Natalie Budge of Whitworth. Budge grabbed the first set 6-0, but Groener recovered to win the second set 7-5. In the super tie-breaker that followed, Groener edged out Budge, 10-8.

At #1 singles, Smyley of Whitworth edged de Crinis in the first set, 6-4, and won the second set, 6-2. In the #2 singles match, Oliver held off Suzuki in the opening set, 6-4, before taking the second set, 6-1. The #4 singles match went to Turner-Esposito, who moved past Lief of Willamette, 6-4, 6-2.

In #5 singles, Audrey Judson of the Pirates earned an edge against Thompson in both sets, winning 6-4 and 6-3. Corbett won at #6 singles for Whitworth, as she claimed a 6-4, 6-3 triumph over Sola.

Willamette will return to action on Tuesday, March 26 against East Texas Baptist University. The match will be played in Wills Point, Texas, starting at 10:30 a.m. CDT / 8:30 a.m. PDT.