Feb. 21, 2008

WOMEN’S TENNIS: Two Road Matches Ahead for PLU

THIS WEEK: Pacific Lutheran at George Fox, Friday, 1 p.m.; PLU at Puget Sound, Sunday, noon.

LUTES START 1-1: Pacific Lutheran got its 2008 spring season off and running last weekend with a pair of home matches played on the road. That’s right, the Lutes hosted Willamette and Lewis & Clark in Northwest Conference tilts, but both matches were held at the University of Puget Sound Tennis Pavilion. The Lutes got the season off to a good start on Friday night, beating the Willamette Bearcats, 6-3, in a match that lasted until about midnight. The Lutes opened with doubles wins at from Erika Feltus and Ashley Coats at No.1 and from Esther Ham and Deanna Ellmer at No. 3. In singles play, PLU took victories from Feltus, Liz Currey, Coats and Ashley Brooks in the top four spots. The following afternoon, PLU ran into a strong Lewis & Clark team and fell by a 6-3 count. Ham and Ellmer were victorious at No. 3 doubles, while Brooks at No. 4 and Ham at No. 5 were the PLU singles winners.

ON THE ROAD: Okay, so the Lutes really do play a pair of road matches this weekend. They start it out at 1 p.m. Friday against George Fox at the Tualatin Hills Tennis Center in Beaverton, Ore. The match was originally scheduled to start at 2 p.m. on the George Fox courts, but a forecast of rain has caused the match to be moved. On Sunday, the Lutes will be over at the UPS Tennis Pavilion once again, but this time as the visitor as PLU takes on the host Puget Sound Loggers.

WRITE IT DOWN ON YOUR CALENDAR: Next weekend, March 1-2, the Lutes will make the journey to the east side of the state where they will play Whitworth on Saturday and Whitman on Sunday. The Lutes don't return home until March 7 when they host six-time defending Northwest Conference champion Linfield at 3:30 p.m.

THE COACH: Pacific Lutheran has a new head coach in Lorrie Wood, who replaced Janel McFeat. Wood played her collegiate tennis at Green River CC and later at the University of Washington. She has been a high school and youth coach in the Gig Harbor area for a number of years.

- PLU -