MCMINNVILLE, Ore. – Playing in their first outdoor match of the season the Linfield Wildcats fell 6-1 Saturday to three-time defending Northwest Conference champion Whitman.
It was the second meeting between the two squads in seven days after Linfield (0-7, 0-5) fell to the Blues (5-2, 5-0) in Walla Walla, Washington a week ago.
Whitman also entered the day ranked No. 31 nationally in Division III by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
"Second time facing Whitman this past week but over all a better performance this time around," said head coach
Phil Whitehead.
"But as a team we need to put a greater effort in our practices and that needs to start with me. We need to get away from making the same mistakes and make better decisions on the court. We are going to refocus and get this season turned around."
DOUBLES
Doubles action moved quickly as Whitman set an immediate tone with commanding wins in all three contests.
The Blues got a shutout win at No. 3 with Natalie Cruz and Leah Lovato beating freshmen Linfield pair
Lyla Khlee and
Steffenie Stark. They took the day's doubles point in the No. 2 flight when Julia Longpre and Gloria Lau beat
Sundi King and
Gianna Molony 6-1.
Whitman completed the doubles sweep with another 6-1 win at No. 1 by Nana Vang and Bailey Bell over
Kaitlynn Canubida and
Samantha Baltz.
SINGLES
The Wildcats lone win of the day came from an impressive three-set win for Baltz at No. 2 against Longpre.
The junior from Rio Rancho, New Mexico handled business in the first set before narrowly dropping the second. With the team score already clinched for Whitman by the third set, the two played a 10-point tiebreak for the third which Baltz took handily, outlasting Longpre 6-3, 4-6, 10-4.
"It was a huge win for Samantha at No. 2," said Whitehead. "Sam is quietly becoming our most consistent player."
Baltz's win was the first in singles by any Wildcat against Whitman since 2022 and moved her to a team best 4-3 record to start the season.
The Blues had continued their strong play into singles by the time Baltz earned her win, earning their first singles point with a "double bagel" win at No. 5, followed by a 6-1, 6-0 win by Leah Novato at No. 6 against Khlee.
Whitman clinched the match at No. 3 when
Emily Redwood was forced to retire due to injury following the first set, giving a win to Bell as Whitman clinched at 4-0.
At No. 4 Lau beat King 6-0, 6-1, followed by the top flight of the day going Sascha Wells against Canubida, 6-1, 6-2, before the match concluded with Baltz ending the match on a high note by stealing a point for the Wildcats.
"Kaitlynn faced a very tough player in Sascha Wells and it was a match with high quality rallies," said Whitehead. "She was just a little bit off today and couldn't take advantage of her opportunities."
NEXT
Linfield visits the Pacific Boxers in Forest Grove, Oregon Sunday at 11 a.m. Next weekend the Wildcats host cross-county rival George Fox before visiting Lewis & Clark in Portland.
