NWC Semifinal: Whitworth 6, Pacific 1 (box score)
YAKIMA, Wash. - Whitworth is headed to the Northwest Conference women's tennis tournament championship final for the second straight season after the Pirates defeated Pacific (Ore.) 6-1 in a tournament semifinal match on Friday afternoon at the Yakima Tennis Center. Whitworth will take on 2nd-seeded Linfield in the title match scheduled for noon at the Yakima Tennis Center. The winner of tomorrow's championship match will earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament. Whitworth is hoping for its first NWC title since 1997 and first-ever NCAA tournament appearance. Linfield, which defeated Whitman 5-1 in tonight's other semifinal, is the seven-time defending conference champion. Whitworth rolled to easy wins in the #2 and #3 doubles matches, but lost at #1. Linh Aven and Mya Towne won 8-3 at #2, while Katie Staudinger and Justine Hays won by the same score at #3. However Megan Yoshimoto and Cat Goya upset Rachel Burns and Alli Marshall 8-6 at #1 doubles. The Pirates ended any hope for the Boxers of pulling an upset by winning four singles matches in quick and rather easy fashion. Erica Bosman had the easiest time, shutting out her opponent 6-0, 6-0 at #5 singles. Aven won 6-1, 6-2 at #3 while Towne won the fourth flight 6-2, 6-1. Staudinger also won 6-2, 6-1 at #6. Burns and Marshall did not have to complete their singles matches at #1 and #2, respectively. There are two ways to follow the results of the tournament. The first is the official tournament website, provided by UPS, at http://www2.ups.edu/athletics/tennis/2009/09tennischampionships.html. The second way is to follow the Whitworth Twitter page, provided by Colin Storm, at https://twitter.com/whitworthtennis. |
