SPOKANE, Wash. – Whitworth University closed out it's Northwest Conference women's tennis schedule with an 8-1 win over visiting Willamette on Friday evening at the Scotford Tennis Center.

The Pirates improved to 8-8 overall and 4-4 in the NWC during a season in which they were 4-7 overall and 1-4 in the conference last month.  The Bearcats fell to 2-10, 2-5.

Whitworth swept the three doubles contests.  Elizabeth Hopkins and Olivia Corbett ran away from Ruby Blake and McKenna Turner 8-1 at #3 doubles in just over 30 minutes.  Meredith Bedford and Kara Nelson followed with an 8-6 win over Alexa de Crinis and Ruby Thompson at #2.  Gracie Smyley and Natalie Budge won 8-4 against Richelle Suzuki and Anika Groener at #1 doubles.

Willamette pulled within 3-1 when Groener beat Nelson 6-2, 6-1 at #3 singles.  Whitworth quickly got two wins right afterwards to clinch the team victory.  The first was Bedford's victory over Paisley Lieske 6-3, 6-0 at #5.  Then Corbett topped Blake 6-2, 6-1 at #4 for the 5-1 team lead.

Smyley pulled out a 6-3, 7-5 win over de Crinis at the top of the ladder.

The Pirates will host College of Idaho on Saturday in a non-conference contest, hoping to reverse a season-opening loss to the Coyotes.