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0
Bellevue C.C. BCC
9
Winner Linfield LIN-W (2-2)
Bellevue C.C. BCC
0
Final
9
Linfield LIN-W
(2-2)
Winner
3
Cal Lutheran CLUW (1-1)
6
Winner Linfield LIN-W (3-2)
Cal Lutheran CLUW
(1-1)
3
Final
6
Linfield LIN-W
(3-2)
Winner
Lexie Matsunaga
Kelly Bird, Linfield Sports Communications

Match Recap: Women's Tennis |

Wildcats control action in wins over Bellevue, Cal Lu

MCMINNVILLE, ORE. – The Linfield Wildcats women's tennis team returned to the court in strong fashion this weekend, winning a pair of matches against Bellevue College, 9-0 in McMinnville on Saturday, and against California Lutheran, 6-3 on Sunday in Portland at the Lewis and Clark Tennis Dome.
 
SATURDAY VS BELLEVUE
DOUBLES
The Wildcats immediately came out strong to start their weekend right with a pair of wins in the top two doubles flights of the day. Playing quick sets to four, Taryn Fujimori and Maggie Fiocchi handled Bellevue's Justine Mangkornkeo and Jadyn Mueller 4-0 while Allena Wong and Sarah Forester knocked off Emily Habib and Adeline Bakken 4-2.

SINGLES
Linfield continued their domination of Bellevue into singles play, winning all five flights in straight sets. In the No. 1 flight Tessa Kern got the 'Cats off to a hot start with a 6-0, 6-0 win over the Bulldogs' Bakken before Lexie Matsunaga took care of business in the No. 2 flight against Alixandra Huffman 6-0, 6-1. In the No. 3 flight Wong was able to dismiss Mueller 6-0, 6-0. Tuttle followed suit by beating Mangorknkeo 6-0, 6-1. The only slight resistance Linfield faced from Bellevue occurred in the No. 5 flight, with Alexis Garner beating Habib 6-4, 6-1.
Linfield received two wins from forfeits due to a lack of active players for Bellevue, making the final score for the match 9-0 Linfield.

"It was fun to play a dual match against Bellevue," head coach Ella Riddle Maliska said. "They are an enthusiastic team, and it was great to play side by side with the men. I'm happy with how the girls played. We mixed around some lineup positions and everyone handled their spot well. It was great to play at home after traveling to California."
 
SUNDAY VS CAL LUTHERAN
DOUBLES
Playing their third match of the year against Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Association programs, Linfield faced a tougher task on Sunday against the California Lutheran Regals, but still managed to come away the victors.

In the No. 1 flight Kern and Matsunaga faced stiff competition from the Regals' Carmen Bupkin and Brennan Foreman, winning 10-8 on a narrow 8-7 tiebreaker to put Linfield in front 1-0. Fujimori and Fiocchi were able to put Linfield up 2-0 after the second doubles flight with an 8-4 win over Caro Groff and Sylvie Van Cott 8-4, but Cal Lutheran was able to get on the board in the No. 3 flight as Wong and Tuttle fell 8-5 to Heidi Levanen and Joslin Seaberg.

"It was great competition against Cal Lutheran, which is a talented and feisty California school," Riddle Maliska said. "The girls came out strong in doubles and I'm very happy with how our No. 1 doubles team fought out the 10-point tiebreaker. Our No. 2 doubles team played very efficient tennis and No. 3 stuck in there but just couldn't catch a break."

SINGLES
Cal Lutheran evened the score at 2-2 in the No. 1 singles flight when Bupkin beat Kern 6-2, 6-1, but Linfield eventually took four of the five remaining flights, with all four wins coming in straight sets. In the No. 2 singles flight Fujimori beat Foreman 6-4, 6-3 as Matsunaga took down Van Cott 7-6, 5-4 in the No. 3 and make the score on the day 4-2, Wildcats.

The Regals were able to get back in it at 4-3 when Sofie Gawrit took down the Wildcats' Wong 6-3, 4-6, 6-1. But Linfield clinched victory at 5-3 with Forester's narrow 7-6, 5-4 win against Luisia Garcia. In the final flight of the day Fiocchi beat Carolina Groff 6-2, 6-4 to make the match score 6-3, Linfield, improving Linfield to 3-2 on the season.

"Singles was a battle in all matches and Cal Lutheran made us work for it," Riddle Maliska said. "I think our team's fitness was a big component in our success in singles. I'm proud of our mental toughness because all of our opponents didn't stop fighting until the very end, and we had to stay focused throughout."
 
NEXT
The Wildcats will take next weekend off before hosting Pacific on Saturday, March 5 at 11:00. They'll then play at Lewis and Clark on March 12 before hosting Concordia Texas on March 13.

"I'm looking forward to a weekend off for the girls to work on some things at practice before we begin conference play the following weekend," Riddle Maliska said.
 
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