Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com

WHITTIER, Calif. – It was a tough start for the Whittier College Women's Tennis team who was blanked by Biola University this past Saturday 9-0. 

A new trio of doubles were put together this season with three new freshmen being added to the roster.  Amanda Rodriguez (Glendora, Calif.) and Madeline Schmidt-Perez (San Marino, Calif.) were put together at No. 1 but couldn't get anything going against top ranked duo Colbeyshae Emery/Brooke Fager falling 8-2.

Kallysta Lopez (Whittier, Calif.) and Avery Turner (Austin, TX) were put together at No. 2 after showing success last year in 2019.  But this time around the two weren't able to stay up with Lauren Lee/Ines Diaz dropping 8-1.  The final team for the Purple & Gold included newcomers Jasmine Saunders (Fulham, London) and Snigdha Baruah (Guwahati, Assam) at No. 3.  They provided a threat but couldn't overcome a pair of breaks against Allison Torres/Anna Hartmann dropping 8-4. 

In singles the Eagles picked up two quick points at No. 1 and No. 6 to clinch the match.  Rodriguez fell at the top spot 6-0, 6-1 and sophomore Julie Cutler (Salt Lake City, UT) who found herself in a starting spot fell 6-1, 6-0.  Bamah got her first collegiate experience at No. 5 against Torres but she too had a tough time falling 6-0, 6-1.  Lopez who had the most wins on the team in 2019 found her niche at No. 4 against Lee and despite getting three games couldn't do anything with them falling 6-2, 6-1.

Turner who moved up into the No. 2 slot for singles for the first time in her career took on Diaz and she too picked up three games but also fell 6-2, 6-1.  The final match on was Saunders at No. 3 who battled Fager.  She dropped the first set 6-2 before proving to be a tough out in the second falling 6-3. 

Whittier gets back to the court this weekend with back-to-back matches on February 8-9 against Pomona-Pitzer and Lewis & Clark.