Match results

CLAREMONT, Calif. – Twenty-seventh ranked Whitman College overcame deficits of 2-1 after doubles competition and 4-3 in the closing stages of singles to post a 5-4 victory over the University of Texas-Tyler in the opening round of the NCAA Division III 2014 women's tennis tournament at the Biszantz Family Tennis Center.

Three-set singles triumphs by Allie Wallin and Jenna Dobrin helped push the Missionaries, ranked No. 4 in the West Region, over the top.

"Texas-Tyler is such a tough team," Whitman coach John Hein said. "We knew coming in that they were one of the best teams in the country not [yet] in the top 30. They brought it, especially in doubles. It was fun and intense."

Whitman will oppose regional host Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, No. 1 in the West and fifth-ranked nationally, Saturday in a round-of-32 match at 10 a.m.

Friday's match started in promising fashion for the Missionaries. Wallin and Morgan Lawless earned an 8-4 victory in No. 3 doubles to give Whitman an early edge.
But Texas-Tyler won both the Nos. 1 and 2 doubles contests to claim its first edge, 2-1.

Courtney Lawless, the West's third-ranked singles player, got the Missionaries even with a quick 6-3, 6-0 singles victory at 1-singles. Erin Bell followed that up with a decisive 6-2, 6-2 triumph at No. 4 to put Whitman in front again, 3-2.

However, Texas-Tyler wrested back the lead, 4-3, with a pair of singles wins to set the stage for a dramatic finish.

Wallin dropped the opening set of her singles match, 6-3, at No. 5 before storming back for 6-4, 6-0 victories in sets two and three, respectively, leaving only one more match on the courts with the team score knotted at 4-4.

Dobrin won the first set, 6-4, but dropped set two, 7-6, after letting a double-match point situation (6-5, 40-15) and a triple match-point scenario (6-3) in a tiebreaker slip away.

Dobrin responded to her missed chances and posted an overwhelming 6-0 decision in the deciding frame to push Whitman into the next round.

"Everybody had trust in each other," Hein said. "All she (Dobrin) did was simplify everything. She just stayed relaxed, played her tennis, and it worked out."

Now a showdown with C-M-S awaits on the Athenas' home courts.

"We're super excited," Hein said. "We had a good match with them in Hawaii (a 6-3 C-M-S win on Jan. 18). We feel good going in. Today got us ready for tomorrow."