Photo by: Tony Leon/ActionWestPhotography.com
WHITTIER, Calif. – The Whittier College Women's Tennis team had their opportunities Sunday, which included match-points coming at No. 3 singles but couldn't pull off the home win as they would fall 5-4 to George Fox University.
The Purple & Gold remain winless on the year at 0-4, 0-2 SCIAC. But this weekend they started clicking on all cylinders. They went on top early 2-1 after doubles. Seniors Amanda Rodriguez (Glendora, Calif.) and Madeline Schmidt-Perez (San Marino, Calif.) rolled at No. 1 8-1 and was followed by the No. 2 team of Avery Turner (Austin, TX) and Jasmine Saunders (Fulham, London) who used a late break to pull out an 8-5 win.
GFU though was able to stop the run at No. 3. Kallysta Lopez (Whittier, Calif.) and Snighda Baruah (Guwahati, Assam) fought hard but couldn't overcome a late break as they would hand the Bruins their first point 8-6.
The momentum continued for the Poets in singles with Rodriguez rolling at No. 1 6-0, 6-3 to get the third point for WC. But GFU wouldn't go away quietly picking up wins at No. 2 and No. 5 that tied things up. Lopez bounced back after her tough loss in doubles pulling out a three-setter at No. 4. She ran through her opponent 6-0 in the opening set but gave that advantage back falling 6-4 in the second. Then in the 3rd, it was a grind with the junior prevailing in a breaker 7-6 giving the Poets their 4th point on the afternoon.
Baruah was in a prime spot to clinch the match for the Poets at No. 6. After falling 6-1 in the opening frame was able to rally to force a third winning 6-3 in the second. But her comeback would fall short as her opponent would grind out a 6-2 win that leveled the match.
It all came down to No. 3 singles and freshman Saunders who was up a set and a break. She ran out in front to a 6-2 opening set and then grabbed a break in the second but couldn't hold it as GFU would come back to level things at 6-4. In the 3rd, Saunders regrouped to again go out in front with another break but again couldn't maintain it allowing the Bruins to come back to break and hold en route to winning 6-4 in the third eventually clinching the victory.
Whittier returns to the courts on Sunday, March 1 against Holy Names University beginning at 9:00am.
