Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College women's tennis team dropped a pair of non-conference matches over the weekend playing close with Bates and Arizona Christian falling in both matches 6-3.
Match 1 (Bates – L, 6-3)
No. 37 Bates gave No. 38 Whittier a good test in a National match-up. The Bobcats opened with a sweep of doubles winning 8-6, 8-6, 8-3 that put Whittier in an early hole.
Whittier however mounted a comeback splitting singles competition led by Meagan Zamilpa (Hacienda Heights, Calif.) at No. 1 who earned a huge win over Elena Mandzhukova 7-5, 6-1. Alexis Agustin (Ewa Beach, HI) followed with a 6-3, 6-1 win at No. 4 over Kate Rosenthal before freshman Jada Henry (Oceanside, Calif.) outlasted Olivia Voccola at No. 5 in three sets winning 6-3, 5-7, 10-7.
These would be the last points won by the Purple & Gold as Bates went on to win at No. 2, No. 3, and No. 6 to grab the victory.
Match 2 (Arizona Christian – L, 6-3)
A day later the Poets pushed undefeated Arizona Christian to the edge and gave them all they could handle putting them in a hole early 2-1 after doubles but allowed them back in as they took five of six singles matches for the come from behind victory.
The Firestorm came into the match 7-0 with big wins over Concordia (Calif.), San Diego Christian, Dixie State, and Westmont but Whittier proved to be a tough test as well on the Richard Ettinger Tennis Courts.
Whittier took the early 1-0 lead at No. 3 doubles thanks to Henry and Terianne Hamada (Mililani, HI) who won 8-6 over Julia Marcenco and Rafaella Zak Zak. The Poets had leads of 5-2 on all three courts early and at No. 2, Benay Weintraub (Memphis, TN) and Agustin made the most of it giving WC their second point by coming back from a game down to break their opponents eventually winning 9-7 over Desiree Jackson and Jessica Trink.
At No. 1, Gabi Etchegaray (Placentia, Calif.) and Zamilpa threatened Mikayla Morgan and Andrea Crook staying out in front early before six straight games by the Firestorm would give them the come from behind 8-5 victory putting ASU on the scoreboard.
In singles, the Firestorm rolled taking five of six matches. Marcenco and Morgan each won in straight sets 6-0, 6-0 at No. 3 and No. 6 that gave them a 3-2 lead and they didn't look back. Trink earned the fourth point for ASU at No. 5 winning 6-2, 6-2 over Hamada and Crook would secure the victory at No. 2 winning 6-0, 6-2 over Etchegaray. Agustin remains hot as she again played a tight three set match beating Zak Zak 6-2, 0-6, 6-3 at No. 4, while Zamilpa fell in three to Jackson 6-4, 2-6, 10-6 at No. 1.
Whittier returns to action this weekend as they travel to Washington to take part in the Whitman Winter Classic. On Friday, February 27 they take on Whitman (9:00am) and Linfield (5:00pm) before rounding out the event on Saturday, February 28 against Texas-Tyler (9:00am) and Lewis & Clark (5:00pm).
