WALLA WALLA, Wash. - In a matchup between the Northwest Conference's top teams, the No. 28 Whitman College women's tennis team came up short in a 6-3 loss to No. 27 Linfield on Saturday at the Bratton Indoor Tennis Center.

The Blues fell behind the eight ball after dropping all three doubles matches. Linfield ensured itself of the lead heading to singles after wins on the No. 1 and No. 2 courts. Arianna Castellanos and Erica Mock were upended at the one 8-3 by the Wildcat pair of Tessa Kern and Alexis Matsunaga. Irene Tsai and Ilina Jha then lost by the same score at the two before Camilla Tarpey-Schwed and Grace Carter were edged at the three 8-6.

Whitman showed life by claiming the first win in singles as Jha convincingly topped Matsunaga 6-0, 6-2 on the No. 3 court. Castellanos then rallied to top Kern at the one 3-6, 6-2, 6-1 to bring the Blues to within a game of tying the score. 

Fujimori gave the Wildcats their fourth point, however, with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-0 win over Mock on the No. 2 court.

The match-clincher came at fifth singles when Allena Wong topped Tsai 6-3, 6-1.

Whitman is back at it on Sunday hosting Lewis & Clark at 11:00 a.m.