Feb. 16, 2008

Lute Racket Wielders Whack Willamette in Season Opener, 6-3

TACOMA – The Pacific Lutheran women’s tennis team got their season off to a good start Friday night when they beat Willamette, 6-3, in a Northwest Conference match played at the Puget Sound Tennis Pavilion. The win is the first for PLU under interim head coach Lorrie Wood.

The Lutes were able to take two of the three doubles matches from the Bearcats. The team of Erika Feltus and Ashley Coats defeated Willamette’s Alyssa Morrison and Alaine Anderson, 8-2. Willamette answered when Tiffany Kam and Abby Funabiki topped PLU’s Liz Currey and Ashley Brooks, 8-4. The duo of Esther Ham and Deanna Ellmer gave the Lutes a one match lead going into the singles when the beat Emily Elliott and Samantha Wong, 8-6.

Many of the singles matches were nail biters with four of the six matches going to three sets. Feltus beat Kam in the number one match, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4. The number two single match was a marathon between Currey and Anderson with Currey coming out on top, 6-4, 5-7, 6-4. Coats defeated Morrison, 6-7, 7-6, 7-6, in another lengthy match. Brooks beat Funabiki in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2. Willamette took the last two matches. Elliott overtook Ham, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), and Wong topped Ellmer, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6.

The Lutes take to the courts again today when they battle Lewis & Clark at 5 p.m. at the Puget Sound Tennis Pavilion.

PLU 6, Willamette 3

Singles
Erika Feltus, (PLU), def. Tiffany Kam, (WILL), 7-6 (7-4), 6-4
Liz Currey, (PLU), def. Alaine Anderson, (WILL), 6-4, 5-7, 6-4
Ashley Coats, (PLU), def. Alyssa Morrison, (WILL), 6-7, 7-6, 7-6
Ashley Brooks, (PLU), def. Abby Funabiki, (WILL), 6-3, 6-2
Emily Elliott, (WILL), def. Esther Ham, (PLU), 6-3, 7-6 (7-5)
Samantha Wong, (WILL), def. Deanna Ellmer, (PLU), 4-6, 6-4, 7-6

Doubles
Feltus/Coats, (PLU), def. Morrison/Anderson, (WILL), 8-2
Kam/Funabiki, (WILL), def. Currey/Brooks, (PLU), 8-4
Ham/Ellmer, (PLU), def. Elliott/Wong, (WILL), 8-6

- PLU -