PNW FALL CHAMPIONSHIPS: Bruins Go 6-4 in Consolation Brackets of Regional Event

SALEM, Ore. - While going 6-9 in the upper brackets of the USTA/ITA NCAA Division III Women’s Tennis Pacific Northwest Fall Championships held here Saturday-Monday, Oct. 1-3, the George Fox University Bruins went 6-4 in the consolation brackets to finish the regional tournament with a composite 12-13 record.

In singles, the Bruins’ Cara Griffith scored a 9-8 (7-4) win over Siri Carlson of Whitworth University, and downed Gretchen Jernstedt of Linfield College 8-1, before falling to Alli Marshall of Whitworth 8-2 in the semi-finals.  Ali Wittrig notched an 8-1 win over Sam Fong of Pacific University in the first round, but was eliminated by Marissa Friedman of the University of Puget Sound 8-4 in the quarter-finals.

The George Fox doubles team of Griffith and Shaina Inn reached the consolation finals before bowing to Hannah Palkowitz and Lizzy Schiller of Whitman College 8-4.  They had made their way through the bracket by taking a first-round default from Jill Coleman and Gillian Lowe of Lewis & Clark College, defeating Katherine Allison and Kelly Watanabe of Linfield 8-5, and ousting Erin Minuth and Maddy Webster of Whitman 8-1 in the semi-finals.

The Bruins’ other doubles team of Wittrig and Bethany Nguyen defaulted to Catherine Eichorn and Esa Grigsby of Lewis & Clark in the opening round.

Details of the Bruins’ results in the singles and doubles upper brackets may be found on the George Fox women’s tennis website at http://athletics.georgefox.edu/sports/wten/2011-12/releases/1003.

Complete singles and doubles brackets may be found on the host Willamette University women’s tennis website at http://willamette.edu/athletics/news/archive/2011/10/02_USTA_ITA_Second_Day.php.