SPOKANE, Wash. – Whitworth picked up its first women's tennis victory of 2013 with an 8-1 win over visiting Willamette in a Northwest Conference match on Sunday morning.

The Pirates improved to 1-2 overall, 1-1 in the NWC while the Bearcats dropped to 0-3, 0-2.

Whitworth swept the three doubles matches to open a quick 3-0 lead.  Saryn Mooney and Taylor Peña picked up an 8-4 win over Sabrina Gutierrez and Denise Poltavski at #1 doubles in the closest of the three matches.

Jessi Steele and Annika Westre won 8-2 over Rachel Heringer and Stephanie Matsuura at #2, while Megan Wingfield and Morgan McDivitt rolled to an 8-1 win over Mandy Carlson and Emily Guimont at #3.

The Pirates took all three of the top singles matches to clinch the team victory.  Mooney edged Poltavski 7-6 (6), 6-3 at #1 while Steele beat Gutierrez 6-3, 6-3 at #2.  Peña had an easy time with Heringer 6-2, 6-0 at #3.

Wingfield blanked Carlson 0-0 at #4 singles.  Caylee Lamm was credited with a win after she led 5-0 in the opening set and Matsuura retired with an injury. 

Yasmine Genena earned the Bearcats' lone point with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Westre at #6.

Whitworth will play at Puget Sound next Friday.