Walla Walla, Wash. – The top-seeded Whitman College Blues and second-seeded Pacific University Boxers will meet in the Northwest Conference Women’s Tennis Tournament championship match after semifinal wins on Friday, April 18, at the Whitman Tennis Courts. The final is set for Saturday, April 19, at 10:00 a.m., with the winner earning the NWC’s automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Women’s Tennis Tournament.
Whitman rolled to a 4-0 victory over No. 4 Whitworth in the first semifinal. The Blues earned the doubles point with quick wins on courts two and three, as Nana Vang and Arianna Castellanos won 6-0 and Ilina Jha and Sascha Wells followed with a 6-1 victory. In singles, Whitman clinched the match with straight-set wins from Wells (No. 6), Vang (No. 3), and Jin Yu (No. 4).
Pacific advanced to the final after edging No. 3 George Fox in a thrilling 5-4 match. The Boxers earned the opening point at No. 1 doubles, with Cassidy and Sydnie Binder posting a dominant 8-0 victory. Although the Bruins took the other two doubles matches to lead 2-1 heading into singles, Pacific battled back with strong play throughout the lineup.
Cassidy Binder started the singles rally with a 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 1, followed by Sydnie Binder taking a hard-fought three-setter on court two. Sofia Mazzola earned a key point at No. 3 to bring the match even before it came down to the final court. There, Mia Yamaguchi came from a set down to defeat Arianna Rader 2-6, 7-5, 6-0 and send the Boxers to the championship round.
Saturday’s final will feature two of the conference’s top teams vying for the NWC title and a spot in the NCAA postseason.