Bruins Drop Two Matches on Season Opening Trip to Eastern Washington

It was a tough start to the season for the George Fox University women’s tennis team.

Salem-News.com

Walla Walla/Spokane, Wash. - Four Bruins made their college debuts in the Whitman match and acquitted themselves very nicely. Heather Orr at #1 singles fell 6-2, 6-0 to Elise Otto, Mollee Robinson dropped a 7-6, 7-5 squeaker to Divneet Kaur at #4, and Betsy Ann Penman split sets before losing to Alex Robinson 2-6, 6-2, (10-4). In doubles, Orr teamed with Brittany Ekstrom at #2 and fell 8-5 to Kaur and Hadley DeBree, while Robinson and Sarah Ashpole fell 8-4 to Katie Oost and Jacquie Frank at #3.

In other singles against the Missionaries, who are ranked 11th in the West Region, Lindsay Hagler fell 6-3, 6-0 to DeBree at #2, Ekstrom was ousted 7-6, 6-2 by Margo Lentz at #3, and Alayna Shaw fell 6-1, 6-1 to Oost at #5. The Bruins’ top doubles team of Hagler and Kelsie Howell was blanked 8-0 by Otto and Lentz.

On Saturday against a much-improved Whitworth squad, most of the matches were not quite as close. Orr fell at #1 singles to Rachel Bruins 6-1, 6-2, Hagler fell to Lexy Harrington 6-1, 6-1 at #2, Ekstrom fell 6-2,6-0 to Linh Aven at #3, Robinson was shut out by Katie Staudinger 6-0, 6-0 at #4, Shanna Lesire in her first match of the year fell to Taryn Smith 6-2, 6-4 at #5, and Courtney Banks dropped a 6-3, 6-0 decision in her first college match to Justine Hays at #6.

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In doubles, the Pirates’ Aven and Harrington downed the Bruins’ Hagler and Howell 8-3 at #1, Smith and Bruns blanked Orr and Ekstrom 8-0 at #2, and Hays and Staudinger defeated Robinson and Ashpole 8-1 at #3.

George Fox is now 0-2 overall and in the Northwest Conference, while both Whitworth and Whitman are 2-1 overall and 2-0 in the conference.

The Bruins play their first home match Friday at 2 PM against Pacific Lutheran University. With the George Fox men also scheduled against PLU at home at the same time, the two teams will be making use of either the city-owned Jaquith Park courts or Newberg High School as well as their own campus courts.

George Fox vs Whitman (02/15/08)

Whitman 9, George Fox 0

02/15/08 at Walla Walla, Wash. (Bratton Tennis Center)

Singles competition

1. Otto, Elise (WTMN-W) def. Orr, Heather (GFUW) 6-2, 6-0

2. DeBree, Hadley (WTMN-W) def. Hagler, Lindsay (GFUW) 6-3, 6-0

3. Lentz, Margo (WTMN-W) def. Ekstrom, Brittany (GFUW) 7-6, 6-2

4. Kaur, Divneet (WTMN-W) def. Robinson, Mollee (GFUW) 7-6, 7-5

5. Oost, Katie (WTMN-W) def. Shaw, Alayna (GFUW) 6-1, 6-1

6. Robinson, Alex (WTMN-W) def. Penman, Betsy Ann (GFUW) 2-6, 6-2, 10-4

Doubles competition

1. Lentz, Margo/Otto, Elise (WTMN-W) def. Howell, Kelsie/Hagler, Lindsay (GFUW) 8-0

2. DeBree, Hadley/Kaur, Divneet (WTMN-W) def. Ekstrom, Brittany/Orr, Heather (GFUW) 8-5

3. Oost, Katie/Frank, Jacquie (WTMN-W) def. Ashpole, Sarah/Robinson, Mollee (GFUW) 8-4

George Fox vs Whitworth (02/16/08)

Whitworth 9, George Fox 0

02/16/08 at Spokane, Wash. (Scotford Tennis Center)

Singles competition

1. Burns, Rachel (WHTW) def. Orr, Heather (GFUW) 6-1, 6-2

2. Harrington, Lexy (WHTW) def. Hagler, Lindsay (GFUW) 6-1, 6-1

3. Aven, Linh (WHTW) def. Ekstrom, Brittany (GFUW) 6-2, 6-0

4. Staudinger, Katie (WHTW) def. Robinson, Mollee (GFUW) 6-0, 6-0

5. Smith, Taryn (WHTW) def. Lesire, Shanna (GFUW) 6-2, 6-4

6. Hays, Justine (WHTW) def. Banks, Courtney (GFUW) 6-3, 6-0

Doubles competition

1. Aven, Linh/Harrington, Lexy (WHTW) def. Hagler, Lindsay/Howell, Kelsie (GFUW) 8-3

2. Smith, Taryn/Burns, Rachel (WHTW) def. Orr, Heather/Ekstrom, Brittany (GFUW) 8-0

3. Hays, Justine/Staudinger, Katie (WHTW) def. Robinson, Mollee/Ashpole, Sarah (GFUW) 8-1

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