SPOKANE, Wash. – Whitworth made a big early statement in the Northwest Conference women's tennis scene with a 7-2 win over visiting Linfield on Saturday in a match-up of teams most expected to challenge defending champion Whitman this season.

The Pirates improved to 2-1 overall and 2-0 in the NWC, while the Wildcats fell to 1-2, 0-2 after getting swept on their Eastern Washington swing.

Whitworth grabbed the momentum with three wins in doubles play.  The freshmen pair of Anabelle Burns and Hannah Wallin ran away with an 8-3 win over Marisa Kume and Gretchen Jernstedt at #3 doubles.  Morgan McDivitt and Bella Hoyos followed quickly with an 8-4 victory over Kelly Watanabe and Kaila Nip at #2 doubles.  Finally, Saryn Mooney and Taylor Peña broke away from a 5-5 tie with an 8-5 win over Caroline Brigham and Mackenzie Fraser at #1 doubles.

Hoyos quickly made the score 4-0 in favor of Whitworth with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Watanabe at #3 singles.  But Brigham got the Wildcats on the board with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Mooney at the top of the ladder.

That set up the drama that clinched the team win for the Pirates.  Peña rallied for a 6-7, 6-0, 7-6 (11-9) win over Nip at #2 singles that clinched the team victory for Whitworth.  Peña fought off five match points in the final set before coming away with the dramatic result.

With the Pirates up by an insurmountable margin of 5-1, the final three singles matches were played for pride.  McDivitt ground out a 6-7 (5), 6-3, 7-5 win over Kume at #4 singles.  Lamm scored Whitworth's seventh point with a 6-1, 6-1 sweep of Courtney Mostul at #6 singles.

Jernstedt scored Linfield's only other point of the day with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win over Burns at #5 singles.

Whitworth will hit the road for three Northwest Conference matches next weekend at George Fox, Lewis & Clark at Pacific (Ore.)