CHENEY, Wash. -- The Eastern Washington University women's tennis team fell to Northern Colorado by a team score of 5-2 in their first Big Sky Conference competition on Saturday (Feb. 18). With this loss, the Eagles are now 4-8 overall against Northern Colorado.
"This was by far the best we have played and fought all year," head coach Dustin Hinson said. "Today's match was a tough one to lose because it was so close. We had incredible effort, energy, support and grit out there today. Every match was extremely close."
In the top two singles spots, sophomore Faye Worrall and senior Erin Blessing both claimed the wins for EWU in singles action. The No. 3 doubles team with senior Katrina Domingo and freshman Valentina Sottile got the lone win in doubles action for the Eagles.
Worrall started off the singles in the No. 1 spot with a victory. She defeated her opponent Anna Battersby by scores of 6-1, 7-5. This marks the sophomore's first singles win for the year along with starting off 1-0 in the Big Sky.
Blessing continued the success in the No. 2 singles spot by defeating her opponent Beth Coton by scores of 6-4. 5-7, 6-3. This is Blessing's second win in a row after previously winning her match against Seattle University. She is also starting off her Big Sky record at 1-0.
Junior Rachel Swindell was in the No. 3 singles spot for the Eagles and fought a hard battle against her opponent, Marissa Baca. Swindell won her first set 6-4 before falling in her second set 7-5. In the last set, Baca showed dominance and won 6-1 to claim the win for the Bears.
Domingo played in the No. 4 singles spot and also went into three sets. She lost to her opponent, Courtney Schulte with winning her first set 6-4 and losing the next two sets in a battle.
Senior Carolina Lopez was the last Eagle with a three set match against her opponent Lily-Ann Kreutzer. Lopez lost her first set 6-4 but came back hot in the second set, winning 6-0. She eventually lost her third set in a tiebreaker, giving the win to UNC.
Sottile finished off the singles play in the No. 6 spot, by falling in a close match to Ella Mora. Her first set very close by a score of 6-4 and the second set finished in a tiebreaker, 7-6(4).
"This team has more grit and scrappiness than any I have coached," Hinson added. " They do all the things a coach wants to see and I want that to be rewarded with some good results. But they remain hungry and they fight for each other until the last ball."
On the doubles side, the No. 3 team of Sottile and Domingo got the lone victory. The No. 1 team was Blessing and Worrall and lost 6-4. The second team was Swindell and freshman Marta Heinen, where they lost 6-1.
The Eagles will continue Big Sky play next weekend on Feb. 25 against North Dakota in Cheney. Matches will begin at 11 a.m. in the Jim Thorpe Fieldhouse.
"I am proud of what we are accomplishing this year, despite the lack of wins," Hinson said. "Results will come."
Northern Colorado 5, Eastern Washington 2
Singles competition
1. WORRALL, Faye (EWU) def. BATTERSBY, Anna (UNC) 6-1, 7-5
2. BLESSING, Erin (EWU) def. COTON, Beth (UNC) 6-4, 5-7, 6-3
3. BACA, Marissa (UNC) def. SWINDELL, Rachel (EWU) 4-6, 7-5, 6-1
4. SCHULTE, Courtney (UNC) def. DOMINGO, Katrina (EWU) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
5. KREUTZER, Lily-Ann (UNC) def. LOPEZ, Carolina (EWU) 7-5, 0-6, 7-6(4)
6. MORA, Ella (UNC) def. SOTTILE, Valentina (EWU) 6-4, 7-6 (4)
Doubles competition
1. COTON, Beth/IMMLER, Remi (UNC) def. WORRALL, Faye/BLESSING, Erin (EWU) 6-4
2. BACA, Marissa/COTON, Beth (UNC) def. SWINDELL, Rachel/HEINEN, Marta (EWU) 6-1
3. SOTTILE, Valentina/DOMINGO, Katrina (EWU) def. MORA, Ella/SCHULTE, Courtney 6-3
