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VANCOUVER, Wash. – Going up against stiff Division I competition without two of its top players, Linfield managed just a single victory in a 6-1 loss to Portland State at Club Green Meadows Saturday afternoon.
Lexi Thomas recorded the sole point for the Wildcats, outlasting Mandy Mallen in a third-set tiebreaker, 6-0, 4-6, 1-0 (10-7), at No. 1 singles.
The Vikings opened the afternoon with two doubles victories to earn the single point in accordance with Division I rules. Darla Burobina and Marina Todd downed Kaila Nip and Kelly Watanabe 8-1 in the top flight while No. 3 pair Kelsey Frey and Megan Govi topped Katie Krieger and Gretchen Jernstedt 8-0.
The third doubles match, pitting Portland State’s Mallen and Marti Pellicano against Linfield’s Thomas and Emily Erbin, was left unfinished with the score 5-3 in the host’s favor.
Frey picked up the victory at No. 2 singles, defeating Nip 6-4, 6-2. Pellicano blanked Watanabe 6-0, 6-0 as Govi handled Jernstedt 6-0, 5-0 until the Linfield player was forced to retire due to injury.
Alexa McDonald and Nayanatara Vadali wrapped up the singles sweep with a 6-0, 6-3 victory against Erbin and 6-1, 6-4 decision over Krieger 6-1, 6-4, respectively.
The Wildcats were without the services of Caroline Brigham and Kwynn Ecton, who are not on campus for Linfield’s January term.
COMING UP: The Wildcats have two weeks to prepare to a tough weekend, when they face off against UC-Santa Cruz and Whitman Feb. 8 and 9 in Walla Walla. Both teams competed at the NCAA Championships last season.