McMINNVILLE, Ore. - In a battle of nationally ranked programs, the #29 Lewis & Clark women's tennis team defeated the #36 Linfield Wildcats 5-4 on Saturday afternoon.

The Wildcats took a 2-1 lead into singles play with Summer Garrison and Claudia Lew earning the Pioneers only doubles point. The pair took down Basia Kopecka and Courtney Hammagren 8-4 in the No. 2 position. 

Aurora Garrison picked up the Pioneers first singles point of the day with a 6-1, 6-2 defeat of Kopecka. Freshman Wiktoria Plawska cruised past Kaila Nip in the No. 3 spot for the next Pio point with a 6-1, 6-3 victory. 

In the No. 5 position, Christine Eliazo collected a 6-1, 6-2 win in the No. 5 position, while Natalie Kelly defeated Gretchen Jernstedt 6-4, 6-3 as the No. 6. 

In both singles matches that went in the Wildcats favor, the Pioneers forced three sets. In the battle of the No. 1's, S. Garrison lost the opening set 7-6 to Ella Riddle before taking the second 6-3. In the tiebreaker, the Pio freshman couldn't hang on, falling 1-0 (10-5). Lew also fell in the tiebreaker, after taking on Marisa Doveri in the No. 4 spot. Lew fell 6-4 in the opening set before winning the second 6-2. In the final set the junior fell 1-0 (10-3). 

The Pioneers end the regular season on Sunday, April 19 at Pacific.