SPOKANE, Wash. – Whitworth bounced back from an early deficit to defeat visiting Pacific Lutheran 7-2 in a Northwest Conference women's tennis match on Saturday afternoon.

The Pirates improved to 7-1 overall and 7-0 in the NWC with their seventh straight win, despite dropping two of the three doubles matches.  The Lutes fell to 6-2, 4-2 with their second loss of the weekend.

PLU looked like it could threaten the Whitworth winning streak after taking the first two points in doubles.  Leah Newell and Samantha Lund topped Saryn Mooney and Taylor Peña 8-5 at #1 doubles, while Allison McClure and Mariah Siemion beat Bella Hoyos and Morgan McDivitt by the same score at #2.

The Pirates got their first point when Anabelle Burns and Hannah Wallin edged Megan Meyers and Emily Bower 8-6 at #3 doubles.

Whitworth turned the tide by taking the first three singles matches in straight sets.  Mooney tied the team score with her 6-4, 6-1 win over Newell at #1 singles.  Peña followed with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Lund at #2 to give the Bucs the team lead.  Then Hoyos completed the top-three sweep with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Beyers at #3.

The match was still in the balance when 4-6 singles took to the court and all three contests went three sets.  Caylee Lamm scored the match-clinching victory for Whitworth with her 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 victory over Bower at #6 singles.

Burns then defeated McClure 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 at #4 singles before McDivitt closed out the afternoon with a 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 (8-6) win over Siemion at #5 singles.

Whitworth will take a break from Northwest Conference action with a spring break trip to California next week.  The Bucs' first match of the trip will be against Arizona Christian on March 23 in Norwalk, Calif.