Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
ORANGE, Calif. – The Whittier College women's tennis team split this weekend dropping a tight 6-3 decision to No. 26 Chapman University before holding on for the 6-3 victory over Caltech improving to 9-8, 3-3 SCIAC.
Match 1 (Chapman – L, 6-3)
Chapman jumped out in front taking two of three doubles winning 8-3 at No. 1 and 8-2 at No. 3. The lone point came at No. 2 where Liliana Serylo and Gabi Etchegaray were able to clinch the 8-3 victory over Madeline Sanders and Madison Mathis keeping the Purple & Gold in striking distance.
Whittier evened the match at two following Adrienne Hamada winning due to a retirement of Rachel Fox when she was up 2-1 in the first set.
Kelley Klebenow would put the Panthers in front 3-2 after a 6-1, 6-1 win over freshman Eva Egan at No. 6. But the match again would become tied up after Benay Weintraub cruised to the straight sets victory 6-0, 6-2 over Anna Nelson.
But this would be the final point won by the Poets as Chapman would go on to win the next three singles matches clinching the victory. Serylo fell 6-4, 6-3 to Saunders, Etchegaray fell at No. 3 to Sophia Duong 7-5, 6-3 and Meagan Zamilpa was forced to retire due to an injury after splitting sets at No. 1 with Andrea Hammer.
Match 2 (Caltech – W, 6-3)
Whittier would bounce back the next day to edge the Beavers of Caltech 6-3 despite dropping the top three singles matches.
Whittier jumped out in front 3-0 sweeping doubles 8-6, 8-6, 8-6 and despite splitting singles 3-3 it wouldn't be enough for the Beavers to upset the Poets. Zamilpa who was forced to retire a day prior again had to withdraw as she trailed 5-0 to Rebekah Kitto at No. 1 giving the Beavers their first point on the morning.
Monica Li proved to be a tough test at No. 2 as Hamada fell in straight sets 7-5,6-2 before Etchegaray lost at No. 3 to Jenny Sheng 7-5, 6-0.
But the bottom of the Poet lineup came through sweeping at No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6. Weintraub got things started with her second straight singles victory winning 6-1, 6-1 over Sophia Chen. Egan then followed with a straight sets victory over Michelle Tang 6-2, 6-4 at No. 6 before Serylo grabbed the final singles point 6-4, 6-1 over Michelle Lee.
Whittier returns to the court this weekend as they travel to Redlands this Friday, April 11 at 2:00pm before hosting Pomona-Pitzer on Saturday, April 12 at 2:00pm.
