University of the PACIFIC

The Pacific womens tennis team was routed by Saint Marys, 6-1 Saturday afternoon after wet court conditions postpone play for one hour. The Tigers fall to 2-2 overall with their first home loss of the season.

 

Junior Jenifer Widjaja (Sao Roque, Sao Paulo, Brazil) and senior Sasha Fisher (Southampton, Bermuda) took the court in doubles play with Pacific down 1-0. The pair fought hard against Alex Poorta and Clair Soper but fell 8-5 in the Tigers closest doubles match of the day.

 

The win secured the Gaels (1-0) doubles point and 1-0 lead going into singles play.

 

No. 60 Widjaja took the court first against Poorta again in No. 1 singles play, this time with different results. Taking the first set 6-1, the junior outlasted Poorta in set two to earn the win 6-1. Widjaja recorded the Tigers only win in the match as the remainder of the team was swept.

Pacific trailed 2-1 when freshman Julia Hansen (Hamburg, Germany) ran out of steam against Anna Chikhikvishvili in the No. 3 position, dropping her match 7-5, 6-2. The Gaels locked in the match with Sopers sweep of sophomore Sarah Irvin (Brisbane, Australia) 6-0, 6-3 at the No. 4 position.

 

But that did not stop Fisher from battling out of the No. 6 position against Alisa Spitzer. The senior won the first set 6-4 before Spitzer bounced back to grab the second set 6-2. Fisher continued to fight, forcing a tie-break set that Spitzer would pull out by two points 1-0 (8).

 

The Tigers are back in action Feb. 6 as they host University of Denver. Match time is set for 11 a.m. PST on the Hal Nelson Tennis Courts.