Women's Tennis Wins Third Straight and Improves to 2 and 0 in Conference

Walla Walla, Wash. – The Missionaries improved to 2 – 0 in conference and 3 – 1 on the season with a convincing 8 – 1 victory over Willamette at the Bratton Tennis Center today, wrapping up three matches in four days for the Missionaries, as Whitman hosted the first-ever Whitman Winter Classic. The heavy schedule of matches caused Coach John Hein to juggle his line-up, allowing some different players to see action.

Whitman took all three doubles matches with Hannah Palkowitz (Jr., San Diego, CA)and Maddy Webster (So., Long Beach, CA) winning the first match at the No. 3 spot, 8 – 0 over Mandy Carlson and Lizzie Kubitz. Morgan Lawless (So., Austin, TX) and Jenna Dobrin (Fr., Camarillo, CA) picked of a win at No. 2 with an 8 – 2 victory over Rachel Heringer and Steph Matsura.  The No. 1 team of Alyssa Roberg (Sr., Scotts Valley, CA) and Courtney Lawless (So., Austin, TX) won the longest doubles match of the day, outlasting Sabrina Gutierrez and Denise Poltavski 8 – 5

In Singles, at the top of the line-up C. Lawless bested Poltavski 6 – 2, 6 – 1.  Dobrin wore down a gritty Guitierrez 6 – 3, 6 – 1, at No. 2, and the Whits secured the victory when Kate Kunkel-Patterson (Sr., Yakima, WA) prevailed 6 – 6 (7 – 3), 6 – 1 over Heringer at No. 3.

Katrina Allick (Fr., San Francisco, CA) made it 7 – 0 Whitman when she defeated Matsura 6 – 1, 6 – 1. Willamette garnered its sole win of the day from Carlson defeated Erin Minuth (So., San Francisco, CA) in a tight match, 6 – 4, 6 – 4, Carlson overcoming a 4 to 5 deficit in the second set.

Palkowitz won the final match of the day at No. 6, topping Yasmine Genena 6 – 0, 6 – 2.

The Missionaries began The Classic with a hard fought 5 – 4 win over UC Santa Cruz on Thursday, downed conference foe Linfield 8 – 1 yesterday before today’s win. Hein summed up the weekend, “I thought we really played well as a team, plus, everyone go to play matches. In the close win over Santa Cruz we saw people step-up in different spots, which was really fun to see. It’s great to be 2 and 0 in conference.”

Whitman is in action again when it hosts Lewis & Clark Saturday, February 16, at 2 pm.

Match Results:

Doubles:

Whitman Alyssa Roberg/Courtney Lawless  def. Willamette Sabrina Guttierez/ Denise Pltavski 8 – 5

Whitman Morgan Lawless/Jenna Dobrin  def.  Willamette Rachel Heringer/Steph Matsura 8 – 2

Whitman Hannah Palkowitz/Maddy Webster def. Willamette Mandy Carlson/Lizzie Kubitz 8 – 0

Singles:

(WC) Courtney Lawless def. (W) Denise Poltavski 6 – 2, 6 – 1

(WC) Jenna Dobrin def.  (W) Sabrina Gutierrez 6 – 3, 6 – 1

(WC) Kate Kunkel-Patterson def. (W) Rachel Heringer 6 – 6 (7 – 3), 6 – 1

(WC) Katrina Allick def. (W)  Steph Matsura 6 - 1 , 6 – 1

(W)Mandy Carlson def. (WC) Erin Mineth 6 – 4, 6 – 4

(WC) Hannah Palkowitz def. (W) Yasmine Genena 6 - 0, 6 - 2

Contact:

Andrew Holt

Whitman Sports Information Director

holtac@whitman.edu

509.527.5902