April 18, 2008

NWC Tennis Championships: Day One Recap

PLU Women Will Play for Third Place After Upset Win
PLU Men Advance to Championship Match Against Whitman

Women: PLU 6, Lewis & Clark 3
Women: Whitworth 5, PLU 4
Men: PLU 5, Linfield 4

YAKIMA, Wash. – There were a few surprises on the first day of the Northwest Conference Tennis Championships, but in the end both the men’s and women’s number one and two seeds moved on to the championship matches that will be played at noon tomorrow at the Yakima Tennis Club.

This marks the fourth consecutive year that Whitman and Pacific Lutheran will meet in the men’s championship match. The Lutes have won the last three title games against the Missionaries, but Whitman looks very tough to beat this season as it brings a perfect 16-0 conference record into the match. In addition, the Missionaries defeated the Lutes twice this season, 6-3 and 9-0. On the women’s side Linfield will be looking for its seventh straight NWC title. The Wildcats will face Whitworth in the title match.

In the first women’s match of the day sixth seed Pacific Lutheran shocked third seed Lewis & Clark, 6-3. The Lutes jumped out to an early 2-1 lead after taking the one and three doubles matches. Amalia Nilsson of L&C continued her dominance in the NWC by defeating Erika Feltus 6-3, 6-3. Nilsson has gone undefeated in conference play this season, not dropping a single set. The Pioneers took the number two singles but the Lutes swept the bottom four singles to ensure the first upset of the day.

The other women’s match taking place in the morning pitted fourth seed Whitman against fifth seed Willamette. Whitman took two of the three doubles matches and kept up their momentum into the singles. With the match already decided only four of the single matches were finished. In the end the Missionaries came out on top, 5-2.

Upset-minded Pacific Lutheran looked to knock off another favorite in the semifinals when the Lutes played number two seed Whitworth, but the Pirates had other plans. After taking two double matches, Whitworth was able to lock up the bottom three singles matches, securing a spot in the finals with a 5-4 victory over the Lutes. The other semifinal saw Whitman facing six-time defending NWC champion Linfield. The Wildcats showed they were the team to beat by topping Whitman, 7-2. In the last women’s match of the day, Lewis & Clark beat Willamette, 5-3, to take fifth place overall.

On the men’s side, fourth seed Whitworth was upset by fifth seed Willamette, 5-4. The other first round match for the men was Linfield against Puget Sound. Jamie Hosmer had a good day for the Loggers, winning both his number one singles and doubles matches, but the Wildcats were the stronger team winning the seven other matches.

In the men’s semifinals, top seeded Whitman faced a determined Willamette squad. The Bearcats took two of the doubles matches. Whitman was pushed to the edge in the singles matches with four of the six matches going to three sets, but in the end the Missionaries prevailed, 6-3. The other semifinal match saw another close match with underdog Linfield challenging three-time defending champions PLU, but the Lutes put the Wildcats away, 5-4.

The action tomorrow is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. with the PLU and Whitman women battling it out in the third-fourth place match. On the men's side, Linfield plays Willamette in the third-fourth place match prior to the two championship contests.

- PLU -