April 20, 2007

Lutes Beat Whitworth But Lose to Top Seed at Conference

Tracy Fujitani

NWC Tournament Web Site

YAKIMA, Wash. – Pacific Lutheran will have to set its sights on third place after the Lutes dropped an 8-1 decision to top-seeded Linfield in the semifinal round of the Northwest Conference Championships at the Yakima Tennis Center.

The Lutes will play Whitman, which lost to Puget Sound, for third place at 8 a.m. on Saturday.

In a match played early Friday morning, the fourth-seeded Lutes beat Whitworth, 7-2, in the first round of the conference tournament to earn a match against Linfield. The Wildcats, unbeaten against conference opponents during the regular season and in search of their sixth straight conference championship, looked sharp in turning away the Lutes.

The 'Cats won all three doubles points and also five of the six singles matches, four of them in straight sets. Tracy Fujitani, a senior, garnered the Lutes' only win, a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Molly Nelson at No. 5 singles.

Against Whitworth, the Lutes were down early but swept the fifth-seeded Pirates in the singles matches.

The No. 1 doubles pair of Nicole Petzelka and Erika Feltus was the only PLU duo to win their doubles match as they topped Katie Troxell and Linn Aven, 8-6. Rachael McCoola and Betsy Johnson of Whitworth beat Ashley Coats and Bria Smith, 8-3, in the No. 2 doubles match. In the final doubles match Taryn Smith and Justine Hays toppled Fujitani and Ashley Brooks, 8-2.

The singles competition was a whole different story as the Lutes won all six matches, many in convincing fashion. Petzelka cruised by McCoola, 6-1, 6-1, in the No. 1 match. Feltus followed in suit in the No. 2 match by overpowering Aven, 6-0, 6-1. The No. 4 match saw Bria Smith get an easy win against Johnson, 6-0, 6-1. Fujitani swept Taryn Smith in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2, in the No. 5 match. The No. 6 match was a close one as Brooks came out on top against Hays 5-7, 7-6 (4), 10-3. The final match of the day saw Coats edge out Troxell, 8-6.

No. 4 Pacific Lutheran 7, No. 5 Whitworth 2

DOUBLES
1. Petrzelka/Feltus (PLU) def. Troxell/Aven (WHTW), 8-6
2. McCoola/Johnson (WHTW) def. Coats/Smith (PLU), 8-3
3. Smith/Hays (WHTW) def. Fujitani/Brooks (PLU), 8-2

Singles
1. Nicole Petzelka (PLU) def. Rachael McCoola (WHTW), 6-1, 6-1
2. Erika Feltus (PLU) def. Linn Aven (WHTW), 6-0, 6-1
3. Ashley Coats (PLU) def. Katie Troxell (WHTW), 8-6
4. Bria Smith (PLU) def. Betsy Johnson (WHTW), 6-0, 6-1
5. Tracy Fujitani (PLU) def. Taryn Smith (WHTW), 6-1, 6-2
6. Ashley Brooks (PLU) def. Justine Hays (WHTW), 5-7, 7-6 (7-4), 10-3

No. 1 Linfield 8, No. 4 Pacific Lutheran 1

SINGLES
1. Becca Johnson (LIN) def. Nicole Petzrelka (PLU), 6-0, 6-0
2. Megan Rodgers (LIN) def. Erika Feltus (PLU), 6-1, 6-2
3. Kelli Sides (LIN) def. Ashley Coats (PLU), 6-3, 6-2
4. Sallie Katter (LIN) def. Bria Smith (PLU), 6-1, 5-7 (10-3)
5. Tracy Fujitani (PLU) def. Molly Nelson (LIN), 6-2, 6-4
6. Jeanna Parks (LIN) def. Ashley Brooks (PLU), 8-3

DOUBLES
1. Johnson/Rodgers (LIN) def. Petzelka/Feltus (PLU), 8-6
2. Katter/Parks (LIN) def. Coats/Smith (PLU), 8-3
3. Sides/Nelson (LIN) def. Fujitani/Brooks (PLU), 9-8 (5)

- PLU -