SPOKANE, Wash. – Whitworth took a big step toward clinching a spot in the Northwest Conference women's tennis tournament with a 6-3 win over visiting Lewis & Clark on Saturday at the Scotford Tennis Center.

The Pirates improved to 6-6 overall and 4-1 in the NWC while the Pioneers fell to 7-6, 3-4.  Whitworth will take on defending champion Linfield on Sunday.

Whitworth took two of the three doubles matches for an early lead.  Aleah Kert and Hannah Plank shut out Rachael Rice and Kacie Lau 8-0 at #1 doubles, while Gracie Smyley and Kyndal Locati doubled up Eadie Poulson and Maca Vives 8-4 at #2 doubles.  Caren Uribe and Arielle Bloom edged Whitworth's Jill Hughes and Grace Bethards 8-7 (7-4) at #3 doubles.

Lewis & Clark quickly took a 3-2 lead in the match.  Uribe beat Plank 6-3, 6-3 at #2 singles and Vives topped Smyley 5-7, 6-3, 7-5.  The Pirates would not lose again.

Kert tipped momentum back in Whitworth's favor by pulling out a 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 win over Rice at #1 singles.  Locati swept Bloom 6-2, 6-2 at #4 to put the Pirates back in front.

Bethards clinched the team victory with a 6-2, 7-6 (7-2) win over Kayley Kreps at #5 singles.  Hughes came from behind to beat Poulson 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 at #6.