Women's Tennis Takes Home 5th Place at NWC Championship; Nilsson Once Again Named Player of the Year
L&C vs.
Pacific
L&C vs.
Willamette
YAKAMA, Wash. - The Lewis & Clark women's tennis team finished
its run for the Northwest Conference Championship on Saturday,
April 18, defeating Willamette for fifth place. The Pioneers were
led by ace Amalia Nilsson who earned her second consecutive NWC
Player of the Year honor. Nilsson also earned a spot on the NWC
All-Conference First-Team, along with Vincent Groot of the men's
team. Whitney DeBree was named the 2009 NWC Female Sportsman of the
Year, for her upbeat personality on the court all season.
The Pios first game of the tournament saw the Pacific Boxers
secured their first Northwest Conference tournament victory since
1999 by defeating the Pioneers, 6-3.
The Boxer lead opened up in doubles play as the team of Megan
Yoshimoto and Cat Goya defeated the L&C team of Amalia Nilsson
and Whitney DeBree, 9-7. The Boxers also took the second doubles
match while the Pios kept it close with an 8-4 victory in the third
doubles match.
In singles play, Pacific took four of six to clinch the victory.
L&C took victories at the number one spot as Nilsson held off
Goya, 6-2 and 6-0, and at the number four spot.
Pacific advanced to take on top seed Whitworth in one of two NWC
semifinals on Friday. Lewis & Clark was forced to take on
Willamette for fifth place in the NWC on Saturday morning.
Playing with two-time Northwest Conference player of the year in
Nilsson at the top of the line-up, the L&C Pioneers took fifth
place with a 7-2 defeat of the Willamette Bearcats on Saturday
morning at the 2009 NWC Women's Tennis Championship Tournament.
In doubles play, Nilsson teamed up withn DeBree to hold off Shannon
Palmer and Alyssa Morrison, 9-8. The teams split the final pair of
the doubles matches to give L&C a one point lead heading into
singles play.
In individual play, Nilsson made easy work of Palmer at the top
spot and the rest of the Pioneers followed suit. Willamette got
their lone singles win in the third position as Abby Funabiki
defeated Paige Earhart, 6-0 and 6-0.
With the win, the Pioneers claim fifth place in the final NWC
standings. Willamette takes sixth place.
