SALEM, Ore. – The Linfield women's tennis team opened its Northwest Conference in dominant fashion on Saturday, sweeping the Willamette Bearcats 9-0 in Oregon's capital city, winning each match in straight sets.
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It was the Wildcats' (2-2, 1-0) 44
th consecutive win over the Bearcats (2-4, 0-1) dating back to 1997. Linfield has only lost one flight to Willamette going back to the 2016 season.
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DOUBLES
Linfield got off to a strong start in doubles with a shutout win in the No. 2 flight, as
Alexis Garner and
Kaitlynn Canubida cruised to an 8-0 win over Willamette's Alexa de Crinis and Eva Lief.
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Garner and Canubida lead the 'Cats with a 3-1 record as a tandem on the season.
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In the top doubles flight
Sarah Forester and
Emma Tuttle found themselves in a battle against Willamette's lead duo of Richelle Suzuki and Anika Groener, but eventually won 8-6.
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The Wildcats completed the doubles sweep with a win in the No. 3 flight as
Alexis Garner and
Samantha Baltz beat Alicia Sola and Ruby Thompson 8-6 to set the match score at 3-0, Linfield.
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SINGLES
Forester had little issue in the No. 1 singles match as she dismissed de Crinis 6-0, 6-3. It was her first win in Linfield's top singles slot of her senior season.
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Tuttle faced even less resistance in the No. 2 flight, dealing the loss to Suzuki 6-0, 6-2 for her third singles win of the season to clinch the match on the day for the Wildcats at 5-0.
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In the third, Canubida easily won her first set before having to fight to win in two, but staved off the Groener to win 6-1, 6-4, while in the No. 4 flight Garner easily beat Lief 6-3, 6-0
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Ponti cinched the sweep for Linfield in the No. 6 in the tightest battle of the match, holding off Sola 6-4, 7-6 (7-1) to set the final match score at 9-0.
NEXT
Linfield returns home tomorrow, Sunday, March 3 for their first NWC match of the season in McMinnville as George Fox (5-1) visits from Newberg. The match is set to being at 11:00 AM.
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The Wildcats then head to eastern Washington next weekend to face Whitworth on Saturday, March 9 and defending conference champion Whitman on Sunday.
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Linfield will then take a break from NWC action for three matches, beginning Thursday, March 21 when the 'Cats will host Wellesley College of the New England Men's and Women's Athletic Conference.
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