WALLA WALLA, WA (10-13) – The Banana Slugs traveled to Walla Walla to take part in the Whitman College Fall Invitational. The Banana Slugs went 1-2 on the trip winning 5-4 on Saturday over Whitworth University and losing 5-4 Friday against University of Puget Sound and 8-1 Whitman College on Sunday.
"It was great for our '19-20 team to team to get 3 quality matches against Div III opponents," said head coach Amy Jensen. "Coach Jack & I loved how our Slugs improved their focus & competitiveness with each match. This group is super coachable and were fully engaged all weekend."
On Friday, each team won three singles matches. Two matches – the #1 singles match between Kayla Manz of UC Santa Cruz and Lisa Owen of University of Puget Sound and the #5 singles match between Ines Pelvang of the Banana Slugs and Lia Van Steeter of the Loggers – ended with the Slugs' representative winning 6-2, 6-3. In the #4 singles match between Savanna McDowell of UC Santa Cruz defeated Barclay Fagg 7-5, 6-2. The tightest match was the #3 singles match between Vivian Lee of the Banana Slugs and Laura Bryan of the Loggers. Bryan defeated Lee 7-5, 7-5. The Loggers won two doubles matches. The tightest doubles matches were the #2 match between Manz and Pelvang and Fagg and Bridget Myers of the Loggers and the #3 doubles match between McDowell and Powers of UC Santa Cruz and Choy and Van Steeter of University of Puget Sound. UCSC won the #2 match and Puget Sound won the #3 match by identical 8-6 scores.
On Saturday against Whitworth, each school won three singles matches. In the #1 singles match, Manz defeated Erica Lee of Whitworth 6-0, 6-3. In the #4 singles match between McDowell and the Pirates' Grace Bethards, McDowell won 6-2, 6-3. In the #6 singles match between Therese Recidoro of UC Santa Cruz and Madelyn Parkey of Whitworth, Recidoro won 6-1, 7-5 to clinch the match for UCSC.
The tightest match was the #3 singles match between Lee and Whitworth's Aleah Kert. Kert defeated Lee 4-6, 7-5, 10-1. The Banana Slugs won two doubles matches while the Pirates won one. In the #3 doubles match between McDowell and Angelina Powers and Bethards and Plank of the Pirates, McDowell and Powers won 8-5. Kert and Lee defeated Brown and Recidoro in the #1 Doubles 8-3. The tightest doubles match was the #2 doubles match between Manz and Pelvang and Hughes and Liening of the Pirates,with Manz and Pelvang winning 8-7.
On Sunday, the host Blues won five singles matches while the Banana Slugs won one. In the #5 singles match between Pelvang and Jennifer Wong of Whitman, Pelvang defeated Wong 6-4, 7-6 (7-5). The tightest doubles match was the #3 doubles match where Irene Tsai and Hannah Worden of Whitman defeated Lee and freshman Sandy LeMay 8-6.
UCSC next plays in two weeks when they host the Slug Fall Invitational October 26 & 27.
