Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College women's tennis team continued with their six match home stand and put up tight contests with Christopher Newport (6-3) and Rochester (6-3) before dropping an 8-1 decision to Denison.
Match 1 (Christopher Newport; L, 6-3)
Whittier avoided a sweep in doubles thanks to the No. 2 team of Benay Weintraub (Memphis, TN) and Alexis Agustin (Ewa Beach, HI) who held off Claire Dockrill and Kate Huck 9-8 (7).
The Poets got a quick point from Meagan Zamilpa (Hacienda Heights, Calif.) at No. 1 who swept McKinney Harwood 6-3, 6-3 that tied the match up at 2-2. But at the bottom end of the lineup the Poets fell in straights at No. 4, No. 5, and No. 6 that gave Christopher Newport the victory.
Weintraub fought at No. 3 against Alexandra Drye going the distance. She dropped the first set 6-1 but bounced back in the second 6-4 only to fall 6-3 in the decisive third set.
Gabi Etchegaray (Placentia, Calif.) was the final match on and also went the distance. She won the first set convincingly 6-0 but couldn't hold off Meili Konell in the second who won in a breaker 7-6 (2), but in the third, Etchegaray would emerge victorious 6-4 to give the Purple & Gold their third point on the afternoon.
Match 2 (Rochester; L, 6-3)
For the second straight match the Poets found themselves trailing 2-1 with the first point coming from Zamilpa and Etchegaray at No. 1 who won 8-5 over Cara Genbauffe and Christine Ho.
In singles, Zamilpa led the surge earning a 6-3, 6-0 win over Ho at No. 1, while Weintraub stepped up big with a straight sets victory over Genbauffe at No. 3 6-2, 6-3.
Match 3 (No. 28 Denison; L, 8-1)
Whittier jumped out to early breaks at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles but couldn't hold on as they fell 9-7 and 8-6 to go down 3-0 into singles competition. Zamilpa was the only Poet to gain a point as she held off Taylor Hawkins 6-2, 7-5 at No. 1, while Etchegaray was one hold away from clinching the victory at No. 2 over Courtney Brown (6-4, 6-7 (1), 10-1).
