SPOKANE, Wash. – Whitworth University defeated Lewis-Clark State in women's tennis for the first time in a generation on Sunday with a 4-3 result at the Scotford Tennis Center.

Kyndal Locati clinched the team victory with a 7-5, 6-1 win at #6 singles, the final match on the court, helping the Pirates improve to 4-3.  The match was scored using NAIA rules.

Whitworth claimed the one available doubles point by sweeping all three matches. Erica Lee and Avery Liening ran away with #1 doubles 6-1 over Begona Andres and Laura Diaz.  Locati and Hannah Plank followed with a 7-5 win at #3 doubles and Aleah Kerk and Jill Hughes concluded the sweep with a 6-4 win at #2.

The Warriors went ahead 2-1 when Andres edged Lee 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 at #1 singles, while Diaz knocked off Liening 6-2, 6-1 at #2 singles.  LCSC won at #4 singles to increase the lead to 3-1. 

That's when results began to break in Whitworth's favor.  Kert rallied to win 6-7 (2), 6-3, 6-1 at #3 singles and Hughes followed with a 6-1, 7-5 win at #5 singles to tie the match.  That set up Locati's match clincher.

Whitworth will return to Northwest Conference matches next weekend with contests at George Fox and Lewis & Clark.