The Seattle University women’s tennis team fought hard throughout the afternoon, but would eventually fall to Eastern Washington, 5-2, Friday at the Amy Yee Tennis Club.
Seattle University received winning performances from its top two singles players, as Ariel Ohno (Kent, Wash.) put the first Redhawk point on the board with a straight-set victory over Amanda Mankovits (6-3, 6-3) in the number one position. At the number two position, Audree Jenks (Albuquerque, N.M.) pulled out a three-set victory over Rachel Berger (7-5, 5-7, 6-4).
Eastern Washington’s depth showed through in the remaining singles matches, winning in positions three through six. Marie Demerath defeated Nicole Fleckenstein (Seattle, Wash.) in straight sets (6-3, 6-0), Kelsey Knight earned a hard-fought three-set victory over Whitney Cheng (Seattle, Wash.) (7-6 (8-6), 4-6, 6-4), Caitlin Bampton won a straight-set match over Katrina Schwab (Spokane, Wash.) (6-2, 6-1), and Judy Liening clinched the match for the Eagles with a victory over Aya Sugimoto (Poulsbo, Wash.) in straight sets (6-2, 6-2).
In the doubles matches, Jenks and Fleckenstein took Eastern Washington’s top doubles team of Mankovits and Knight to the limit, losing 7-4 in the tiebreaker to fall in the set, 9-8. Demerath and Bampton defeated Ohno and Cheng in the number two doubles position, 8-4, and Berger and Liening earned an 8-2 victory over Schwab and Sugimoto in the third doubles match, giving the Eagles the doubles point.
Seattle University (1-1) will host Pacific Lutheran next Saturday, Feb. 7, at the Sammamish Club in Issaquah, Wash., beginning at 2 p.m.
Singles 1 - Ariel Ohno (SU) def. Amanda Mankovits (EWU): 6-3, 6-3 2 - Audree Jenks (SU) def. Rachel Berger (EWU): 7-5, 5-7, 6-4 3 - Marie Demerath (EWU) def. Nicole Fleckenstein (SU): 6-3, 6-0 4 - Kelsey Knight (EWU) def. Whitney Cheng (SU): 7-6 (8-6), 4-6, 6-4 (finished sixth) 5 - Caitlin Bampton (EWU) def. Katrina Schwab (SU): 6-2, 6-1 (finished fourth) 6 - Judy Liening (EWU) def. Aya Sugimoto (SU): 6-2, 6-2 (finished fifth - clinched match for EWU) Doubles 1 - Mankovits/Knight (EWU) def. Jenks/Fleckenstein (SU): 9-8 (7-4) 2 - Demerath/Bampton (EWU) def. Ohno/Cheng (SU): 8-4 3 - Berger/Liening (EWU) def. Schwab/Sugimoto (SU): 8-2 Eastern Washington 5, Seattle University 2