WALLA WALLA, Wash.  The 26th-ranked Whitman College women's tennis team raced out to a lead in doubles action then completed the victory in singles play Saturday, racing past visiting Whitworth University, 8-1, in a Northwest Conference match at the Bratton Indoor Tennis Center.

The victory lifts the Blues' records to 5-1 overall and 5-0 within the league, while the Pirates slid to 0-4 and 0-3, respectively.

Andrea Gu and Lori Sheng at 2-doubles, and Hanna Greenberg and Mary Hill at No. 1 each teamed up for quick 8-0 wins for the first points of the afternoon. Jenna Gilbert and Allie Wallin were able to complete the doubles sweep with their 8-5 win in the No. 3 spot.

Hill was the first to finish in singles, taking down Whitworth's Emma Jo Wiley, 2 and 1, in the No. 2 singles slot, and Greenberg added the fourth team point with her 3 and 0 thrashing of Katie Lacayo at 4-singles.

The match-clinching point came at No. 3, where Wallin dominated Erica Lee by scores of 6-2 and 6-3.

Gu was next, but in a three-set nail biter. She and Hoyos split the first two sets, with Gu bouncing back from an opening set defeat, before Gu earned the point with her 1-0 (10-8) third-set tiebreaker set victory.

Sheng added the closing point, winning 1 and 2 at 5-singles.

The women's match against Whitworth was the second of four Whitman vs. Whitworth clashes on the day. The Blues' men's tennis team defeated the Pirates, 8-1, in a late-morning match in Spokane, and the two baseball teams began at doubleheader at Borleske Stadium at noon. The conference championship in men's basketball will be determined in the evening in Walla Walla pitting No. 2 Whitman against No. 4 Whitworth.

The Blues welcome George Fox University to Walla Walla Saturday for a conference match, followed by another league battle Sunday against visiting Pacific (Ore.) University.