Women Leapfrog Cats in Tennis Standings

News Release Date:
Saturday, March 6

WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- After winning a pair of close decisions in doubles, the Whitman College women's tennis team took four of six matches in singles to knock off Willamette University 6-3 Saturday afternoon in Salem, Ore.

Whitman improved to 5-2 in the NWC (5-3 overall) and moved past Willamette in the conference standings. The Bearcats saw their NWC record slip to 6-3.

Junior Elise Otto and first-year teammate Alyssa Roberg snared the win for Whitman at No. 1 doubles with an 8-6 decision over Natalia Agarycheva and Shannon Palmer.

At No. 3 doubles, senior Hadley DeBree and first-year Missionary Kate Kunkel-Patterson needed a 7-4 tie-breaker to squeeze past Katie Huber and Jamie Slonaker 9-8.

Elise Otto

Willamette salvaged a team point at No. 2 doubles, where Fabi Dieguez and Alyssa Morrison downed senior Divneet Kaur and sophomore Emily Rolston 8-3.

There were two three-set battles in singles with each team winning one of them.

At No. 1, Agarycheva rallied past Roberg 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, but DeBree turned the tables for Whitman with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-1 victory over Huber at No. 3.

Whitman got straight-set wins from Otto at No. 2, Kaur at No. 4 and Kunkel-Patterson at No. 6.

Whitman returns to the road next Friday with matches against Pacific Lutheran and Puget Sound in Tacoma, Wash.

The Missionaries downed both Tacoma schools by 9-0 margins last month in Walla Walla.

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CONTACT: Dave Holden
Sports Information Director
Whitman College, Walla Walla, Wash.
509 527-5902; holden@whitman.edu