SPOKANE, Wash. - Whitworth College got off to a solid start to the 2006 women's tennis season with a pair of Northwest Conference victories over the weekend. The Pirates defeated George Fox 8-1 and Lewis & Clark 7-2. Both matches took place at North Park Racquet Club. The Pirate women opened the season by sweeping the doubles matches on Friday against Fox. Linh Aven and Katie Troxell won 8-2 at first doubles, while Taryn Smith and Chelsea Sweetin won 8-4 at second doubles. Leah Vaughn and Betsy Johnson rolled to an 8-2 win at third doubles. Aven, Troxell and Smith all made it two victories on the day with solid singles wins. Aven won 6-0, 6-0 at #2 singles, Troxell won 6-3, 6-0 at #4 singles and Smith won 6-1, 6-2 at #5 singles. Jamie Kneese won 6-2, 6-1 at the top of the singles ladder and Sandy Fujitani won 6-2, 6-4 at the bottom. Whitworth repeated its doubles feat on Saturday against L&C. It was Kneese and Aven who pulled out a tight match at first doubles (8-6), while Sweetin and Vaughn rolled at second doubles (8-2). Johnson and McCoola also won handily at third doubles (8-3) to give the Pirates an early 3-0 lead. Smith moved up to #3 singles and won 6-4, 6-0. Vaughn won 6-3, 6-4 at #4 and McCoola dropped down to #5 to win 8-5 in a pro set match. Fujitani also won a pro set match 8-1 at #6 singles. The Pirates won a pair of hard fought matches against Aven (#1) and Troxell (#2) at the top of the ladder. Whitworth will go on the road next weekend to take on Linfield and Pacific in another pair of Northwest Conference contests. |
