NEWBERG, Ore. – Froukje Lakerveld rallied from a set behind to win in three sets and provide the deciding point as visiting Whitworth handed George Fox its first women's tennis loss of the season on Saturday.

The 5-4 victory helped the Pirates improve to 3-5 overall and 2-2 in the NWC while the Bruins fell to 5-1, 4-1.  The Bucs will host PLU in a pair of matches next weekend.

Whitworth got a leg up by winning two of three doubles matches.  Lakerveld and Kyndal Locati defeated Danielle Brown and Taylor Morris 8-4 at #3 doubles while Lauren Ikeda and Hannah Plank won 8-5 at #2 doubles.  The Pirates nearly made it a sweep of the doubles matches, but GFU's Sophia Lawrence and Laney Search held off Avery Liening and Aleah Kert 8-7 (0) at #1 doubles.

Kert gave Whitworth a 3-1 lead with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Lawrence at #1 singles. 

Morris got by Locati 7-5, 6-1 at #5 and Brown edged Plank 6-7 (5-0), 6-2, 6-2 at #3 to tie the match for GFU.

Ikeda beat Ellie Mangan 6-2, 7-5 at #4 before Search held off Liening 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 to set the contest at 4-4.

Alyssa Byde jumped ahead of Lakerveld with a 6-1 win in the opening set.  Lakerveld tied the match 6-3 and then won the final set 6-3 with both teams watching closely to claim the match in Whitworth's favor.