by Jonah Snyder | Staff Writer
The Whitworth women’s tennis team had a pair of conference matches this weekend and won convincingly with two 9-0 wins.
The first match of the weekend was against PLU, a win as it finished 9-0. In doubles, Whitworth swept PLU with scores of 8-1, 8-3, and 8-6.
The dominance did not stop there as the singles won all but one single match in straight sets capping off the second 9-0 win against PLU this season.
Freshmen Erica Lee, fourth in the singles lineup, won her match against PLU’s Emily Beemsterboer 6-4, 6-3.
“I think this win shows that we’re very consistent as a team,” Lee said. “We’ve been working really hard on just being mentally tough and fighting for every point.”
The next match was against UPS and the women were able to get revenge as they lost last time 5-4. Whitworth won this match in dominant fashion, 9-0.
The doubles teams won with scores of 8-6, 8-5, and 8-3. The singles won all their matches in straight sets.
“It felt good to beat UPS this time,” Lee said. “This sets us up for a very competitive last couple matches.”
The wins were especially relevant to the team, because they came on senior day.
Lone senior Bella Hoyos won her final home match of the year 7-5, 7-5, the tightest and most competitive match of the day.
“It felt really good, it is always fun to come out and play for Whitworth,” Hoyos said. This is the last home match I am ever going to have and even though winning isn’t everything, it was a cool way to go out with my parents and coach Rachel [Aldridge] watching me and being there for me all four years.”
Hoyos left an impact on her teammates in her final year here. Lee feels close to Hoyos and feels she has been a fantastic role model, she said.
“Bella has been such an inspiration and role model for how to act on and off the court,” Lee said. “I aspire to be like her as a player and a person.”
The Whitworth women’s tennis team will be on the road to close out their season after a couple of victories as they face Pacific University on Friday April 14 at 4 p.m. and Linfield University on Saturday April 15 at 11 a.m.