Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – After three days of the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Championships, the Whittier College women's tennis team wound up finishing seventh overall beating Occidental and Caltech.
Match 1 (Pomona-Pitzer – 5, Whittier – 0)
Whittier matched up against Pomona-Pitzer to start off the SCIAC Championships but fell into a hole early 3-0 after doubles before dropping the ensuing two singles matches to fall 5-0 in decision to the Sagehens.
Meagan Zamilpa (Hacienda Heights, Calif.) and Gabi Etchegaray (Placentia, Calif.) attempted to give the Poets at least one point at No. 1 but couldn't get anything going against Lea Lynn Yen and Grace Hruska falling 8-3. Jada Henry (Oceanside, Calif.) and Alissa Fa (Mililani, HI) grabbed a couple games at No. 3 against Maryann Zhao and Maddie Gordon but PP would roll to the 8-2 win and would then give up just a game in the next three matches to earn the quarterfinal victory.
Match 2 (Cal Lutheran – 5, Whittier – 4)
In the afternoon match-up the Poets found themselves in a battle with the Regals of Cal Lutheran University. CLU opened taking two of three doubles before working a trio of singles victories en route to the slight 5-4 win over the Purple & Gold.
Zamilpa and Etchegaray got the lone point for the Poets in doubles at No. 1 winning 8-2 over Shelby Kubota and Mallory Kenny. They then carried it into singles winning at No. 1 and No. 3. Zamilpa sweeping Kenny 6-2, 6-2 and Etchegaray holding off Emily Werman 6-4, 6-4.
Henry was the fourth point for the Poets winning 6-2, 6-4 over Sarah Baker at No. 4 but Whittier was unable to get another point after that with Ruthie Kaplan (Coto De Caza) and Fa going down in straights and Benay Weintraub (Memphis, TN) dropping a 6-2, 7-5 match with Rebecca Gold at No. 2.
Match 3 (Whittier – 8, Occidental – 1)
In the seventh place match-up the Poets took on the Tigers from Occidental College and ran away with the victory winning 8-1 after a clean sweep in doubles.
The Poets jumped out early winning 8-0 at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles before Henry and Fa downed Lauren Hutkin/Sara Charney at No. 3 8-2.
Zamilpa made quick work of Samantha Farrell 6-1, 6-0 and Henry got off quickly on court four bageling Amber Gadsden 6-0, 6-0 that clinched the victory. Laura Roston (Belmont, Calif.) got her first action of the Championships at No. 6 winning 6-0, 6-3 over Lucy Malloch and Kaplan held off Hutkin at No. 4 7-5, 6-2.
Etchegaray had a close encounter with Keilani Bonis-Ericks at No. 2 after going down a set 6-2 was forced to come back winning 6-4 and then 10-5 in the third set super tiebreaker.
