Gold River, Calif.  – Making its first trip to the Big Sky Conference Championship in six years, the Eastern Washington University women's tennis team fell to Idaho, 4-1, in a first-round match Friday, April 29, at the Gold River Racquet Club.

Despite the setback, an appearance in the Big Sky tournament capped off a great season for the Eagles. Their six victories in league play are the most conference wins for the team since at least 2004.

The first round of the tournament opened with a Vandals victory in the No. 3 doubles line, with the tandem of Marianna Petrei and Lucia Badillos defeating juniors Katrina Domingo and Dani Young, 6-1. Idaho secured the doubles point in the next match after senior Moira Hedberg and sophomore Rachel Swindell lost to Maria Tavares and Rita Bermudez 6-2.

Tavares got the singles competition started, giving UI an early 2-0 lead with a victory over junior Carolina Lopez 6-1, 6-1, in line six. With a lot of ground to cover for Eastern, Hedberg did her best to bring the team back into the competition, defeating Bermudez in the No. 2 spot, 6-1, 6-3. In the No. 1 position, Petrei brought Idaho closer the win, beating junior Janaya Smith 6-2, 6-4. With the match sitting in the Vandals' favor 3-1, Celine Koets clinched the victory, defeating junior Erin Blessing 6-1, 6-4, in line four. The remaining two singles matches did not finish.

"We really competed well today and battled with Idaho much closer than we did during the regular season," said head coach Dustin Hinson."Moira came up huge in her last match as an Eagle. Faye was ahead and playing well in her match at 3 singles and Rachel was close in her match at 5."

"Overall, we made huge strides this year as a program and I am really proud to be a part of building something big here at Eastern."

Results:

Eastern Washington - 1

Idaho - 4

Doubles:

1. SMITH, Janaya/WORRALL, Faye (EWU) vs. BARCENILLA, Belen/BATIRI, Ana (UI) no result

2. BERMUDEZ, Rita/TAVARES, Maria (UI) def. HEDBERG, Moira/SWINDELL, Rachel (EWU) 6-2

3. BADILLOS, Lucia/PETREI, Marianna (UI) def. DOMINGO, Katrina/YOUNG, Dani (EWU) 6-1

Singles:

1. PETREI, Marianna (UI) def. SMITH, Janaya (EWU) 6-2, 6-4

2. HEDBERG, Moira (EWU) def. BERMUDEZ, Rita (UI) 6-1, 6-3

3. WORRALL, Faye (EWU) vs. BATIRI, Ana (UI) no result

4. Koets, Celine (UI) def. BLESSING, Erin (EWU) 6-1, 6-4

5. SWINDELL, Rachel (EWU) vs. BARCENILLA, Belen (UI) no result

6. TAVARES, Maria (UI) def. LOPEZ, Carolina (EWU) 6-1, 6-1