WALLA WALLA, Wash. – Defending champion Whitman College defeated visiting Whitworth 8-1 in the Northwest Conference opener for both teams on Saturday.

The Pirates fell to 3-3 and 0-1 in the NWC.  Whitworth will host Lewis-Clark State on Sunday in a non-conference match.

Aleah Kert and Jill Hughes earned the Bucs' only point of the match with an 8-5 victory at #2 doubles.  Erica Lee and Avery Liening lost 8-1 at #1 doubles, while Hannah Plant and Kyndal Locati fell 8-3 at #3 doubles.

Kert and Plank were the only Pirates to push their singles match past two sets.  Kert fell 2-6, 6-1, 2-6 at #3 singles while Plank lost 6-1, 4-6, 6-1 to Nastya Redkina at #4 singles.  Lee was defeated 6-3, 6-3 by Andei Fukushige at #1 singles.  Hughes lost by the same score to Camilla Tarpey-Schwed at #5 singles.