The Eastern Washington University women's tennis teamed closed out the regular season today (April 23) with a 5-2 loss to the University of Montana. With this loss, the Eagles are officially eliminated from the Big Sky Conference Championships. EWU finished with a 3-8 conference record and 5-15 overall.

"My hat goes off to Montana in this match," head coach Dustin Hinson said. "We really dominated in doubles, but UM came back fighting in singles and they played very well. It is tough to lose the last team match of the season, but we have to pull the positives out and learn from these experiences."

In doubles, EWU started off hot and won all the matches. In the No. 1 spot, junior Janaya Smith and sophomore Faye Worrall defeated their opponents 6-3. In the second team, senior Erin Blessing and junior Rachel Swindell also won by a score of 6-3. Senior Katrina Domingo and freshman Marta Heinen teamed up for the No. 3 team and lead 4-3 before the match went unfinished.

In singles, Smith was the one Eagle to capture a win on that side of the court. She lost her first set 6-7 but came back and won the second set 7-6. The third set was a tiebreaker with Smith coming out on top 10-8.

Worrall competed in the No. 2 spot and lost 7-6, 6-2. In the third spot was Blessing who fell 6-4, 6-3. In the No. 4 spot was Swindell who fell 6-4, 6-1. Freshman Valentina Sottile competed in the No. 5 spot and lost 6-3, 6-4. Rounding off singles was senior Carolina Lopez who fell 6-3 in the first set and went unfinished in the second set.

The Eagles had three seniors on the team and will have six returners next year.

"We will persevere and we will come back strong next year," Hinson said. "I am really proud of the seniors and the four years of work they have put in as Eagles. I know they will take their experiences here at Eastern and use them to be successful in life."

Montana 5, Eastern Washington 2
Singles competition
1. SMITH, Janaya (EWU) def. SULZ, Hannah (UM) 6-7 (3-7), 7-6 (7-6), 10-8
2. DUKIC, Lidia (UM) def. WORRALL, Faye (EWU) 7-6 (7-3), 6-2
3. ORFANOS, Catherine (UM) def. BLESSING, Erin (EWU) 6-4, 6-3
4. JOANLANNE, Nathalie (UM) def. SWINDELL, Rachel (EWU) 6-4, 6-1
5. KINCAID, Cam (UM) def. SOTTILE, Valentina (EWU) 6-3, 6-4
6. STUIJT, Stanzi (UM) def. LOPEZ, Carolina (EWU) 6-3, 3-1 (unfinished)

Doubles competition
1. SMITH, Janaya/WORRALL, Faye (EWU) def. SULZ, Hannah/ORFANOS, Catherine (UM) 6-3
2. BLESSING, Erin/SWINDELL, Rachel (EWU) def. KINCAID, Cam/JOANLANNE, Nathalie (UM) 6-3
3. DOMINGO, Katrina/HEINEN, Marta (EWU) def. DUKIC, Lidia/PANIC, Milica (UM) 4-3 (unfinished)