Boxers Drop Tough NWC Opener To Defending Champs
Box Score
McMINNVILLE, Ore. – After an easy win last week to open the 2012 season, Pacific ran into a much tougher challenge in defending Northwest Conference champion Linfield Friday, with the Wildcats sweeping the Boxers 9-0 in women's tennis action at the Linfield Tennis Courts.
Playing in their first match of the season, the Wildcats (1-0, 1-0 NWC) swept through the doubles matches before fending off a pair of close battles to complete the run through the lineup.
Cathlene Goya (Sr., Kaneohe, Hawaii) and
Rachel Mizuno (Jr., Mililani, Hawaii) both won the first sets of their singles matches before dropping hard-fought three-set tiebreakers.
In the No. 1 match, Goya took the first set from Abby Olbrich before the Wildcats' top dog came back to win the next two and secure the 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory. Mizuno, meanwhile, escaped a tiebreak to win the first set and just came out behind in a third set tiebreak to fall in her No. 3 match with Lexi Thomas, 6-7 (2), 6-1, 10-7.
Head Coach Sarah Ansboury said she was impressed with the effort her players gave against a tough opponent. “After a long match, the scores don't seem to represent what the matches were actually like,” Ansboury said. “Linfield is always a tough opponent. We will have another go at them in Match on our home courts.”
Megan Yoshimoto (Sr., Mililani, Hawaii) came close to forcing a tiebreak in her No. 2 match, but Caroline Brigham stayed just ahead to take the 6-0, 7-5 victory.
Kelsey Trujillo (So., Honolulu, Hawaii) fell to Kaila Nip at No. 4, 6-4, 6-1,
Lillian Do (Fr., Beaverton, Ore.) lost to Kiana Nip at No. 5, 6-3, 6-1, and
Amber Craviotto (Fr., Eugene, Ore.) fell at No. 6 to Kelly Watanabe, 6-2, 6-2.
Linfield opened the match with a momentum-gaining sweep in the doubles. Olbrich and Brigham won the No. 1 set over Goya and Yoshimoto, 8-3. The sisters Nip fell Do and Trujillo at No. 2, 8-2, while Watanabe and Thomas posted an 8-2 victory over Mizuno and Craviotto at No. 3.
Pacific makes the return to the Holce Courts on Saturday, hosting Puget Sound beginning at noon. Linfield is back at home on Saturday to host Whitman.
