Leopards Drop Matches To Willamette, Whitman

The University of La Verne women's tennis squad concluded its trip to Oregon with a pair of defeats to Northwest Conference schools on Sunday in Salem, Oregon.

The Leopards fell 5-4 to Willamette before being upended 9-0 to Whitman to fall to 3-2 on the season.

Against the Bearcats, the Leopards split the six singles matches but won just one of the three doubles contests in dropping their first team competition of the season.

La Verne took the #3 doubles match. Brooke Hines and Valerie Lezin won a close match for the Leopards, as they rallied past Katie Huber and Emily Funabiki in a tie-breaker, 9-8 (7-3).

Willamette clinched the overall win by claiming straight-set victories in the top three singles matches. 

The Leopards earned wins at #4, #5 and #6 singles.  At #4, Carly Tucker downed Huber, 6-0, 6-2.  Hines topped Emily Bee in the #5 match, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5).  Valerie Lezin rallied from a set down to defeat Hailey Arnold in three sets at #6 singles, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.

Against Whitman, three of the six singles contests went three sets. 

Allison Moncrief  fell 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 to Emily Rolston at No. 3 singles while Whitman's Lizzy Schiller rallied back for a 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 win over Tucker at No. 4.  Arielle Montielh extended Erin Minuth to three sets before falling 6-2, 4-6, 6-4.

La Verne returns to action on March 2 as it plays hosts to Chapman University at 2 pm.