MCMINNVILLE, Ore. –
Samantha Baltz cruised to victory at No. 2 singles in
her first solo action since March 8 as Linfield fell inside Rutschman Fieldhouse 6-1 to the Whitworth Pirates Sunday.
Baltz also partnered with
Kaitlynn Canubida for a win at No. 1 singles but the Wildcats could not find wins elsewhere in the lineup against a Pirates team that with the win tightened its grip on second place in the Northwest Conference standings.
It was the first NWC match for the 'Cats since March 15 and their first match at home since March 7.
"I thought today was a very positive match," said head coach
Phil Whitehead. "It is feeling like we are headed in the right direction and today was a great example of that. I'm already seeing the benefit of a tough 'soCal' trip pay off."
DOUBLES
Baltz and Canubida won confidently at No. 1, running away with a 6-1 win against top Pirate duo Paige Oliver and Jordan Turner-Esposito.
But the doubles point had already been clinched by Whitworth with a 6-2 score at No. 2 by Josie Kellogg and Clara Todd and a 6-0 win at No. 3 by upperclassmen tandem Audrey Judson and Olivia Corbett against Linfield freshmen
Lyla Khlee and
Steffenie Stark.
SINGLES
Baltz immediately set a strong tone with her first set against Turner-Esposito, not allowing her Pirate opponent to take a single game, before closing out the match 6-0, 6-2.
It was the fifth singles win of the year for Baltz, all as Linfield's No. 2 entry, and her first completed singles match since March 7 after working through injury the last three weeks.
In the day's top flight Canubida got out to an early lead in her first set against Oliver before the Pirate eventually stormed back to take the opening frame via tiebreak. Oliver used the momentum to fuel a 7-6 (7-2), 6-1 win and give Whitworth a 2-1 lead on the dual match.
At No. 3 singles
Emily Redwood put up a competitive effort against Judson but eventually the flight put the Pirates within a point of clinching with a 6-4, 6-2 win by Judson.
"The first time we played them was definitely one sided, but today there were times during doubles and the first round of singles where I felt we had a chance of pulling it off," said Whitehead.
Whitworth managed to do that in the next flight as Corbett outlasted King 6-0, 6-2 to make the score 4-1. The Pirates added to the lead with a 6-1, 6-1 win for Kellogg over Molony, who played both doubles and singles Sunday despite battling through illness.
Khlee nearly picked up a Wildcat win in the day's final flight at No. 6 after taking the first set but could not continue her momentum and eventually fall via 10-point tiebreak as a rested Hannah Wells prevailed 5-7, 6-0, 10-6.
"Having Sam back on the court is so huge for us and Gianna, Emily and now Lyla are all playing their best tennis of the year," said Whitehead. "We all talked about what are goals are for these last few weeks. We have the opportunity to finish strong and they want nothing more than to be a spoiler for the playoffs. We play three teams who are fighting for the last two spots and we want to be part of that equation."
NEXT
Linfield will play just one match next weekend hosting Pacific at 11 a.m. on April 4. The Wildcats then wrap up the season the following week at George Fox on April 11 before hosting Lewis & Clark in the season's final match on April 12.
