SPOKANE, Wash. -- The Bruins clinched at least third place in the Northwest Conference after a 5-2 win over Whitworth.

How It Happened
The Bruins got off to a slow start in the match, dropping the doubles point 2-1. Riley Bobkiewicz and Shanah Denham got the nod in the No. 1 singles spot but ultimately got swept 6-0 to give the Pirates their first win of the day. Kalli Wiker and Arianna Rader finished shortly after, with Whitworth taking the match 6-2. The third and final doubles match was an intense one, and the Bruins gained some momentum heading into singles play. Sophie Denham and Cassey Hitch got it done 7(7) - 6(4). 

The Bruins relied on their strong singles play to get the victory, securing five of the six matches to come back and win 5-2. Sophie Denham finished her match first, coming back from down 3-1 to secure the 6-4 first set win. She closed out the victory quickly in the second set, winning 6-1 to tie the match up at one apiece. Her sister Shanah also picked up a singles win, taking her match in a similar fashion, 6-3, 6-1. Juhree Kizziar also had a dominant victory in the No. 5 spot today, winning 6-1, 6-1 to give the Bruins the 3-1 match lead. The Pirates made it interesting, though, as Bobkiewicz was unable to get it done in the No. 1 spot against Gracie Smyley. She was up early in both sets, but Smyley pulled away to hand Bobkiewicz a 4-6, 4-6 defeat. 

The final two matches needed tiebreakers, as the Bruins got the victories needed to secure the win. Hitch got the nod in the No. 6 spot today, and the doubles specialist came back to win in both of her sets. She went down early 0-2 in set one, but won the remaining six games to win it 6-2. In the second match, she also went down 5-2, but came back again to win in a tiebreaker 7-6 to give the Bruins the overall match win. 

Wiker concluded the matches with a back-and-forth victory over Faith Kert. Wiker won the first set 7-6 after the two traded games all the way up to the tie breaker. Kert struck back in the second, handing Wiker the 4-6 loss to set up a third-set thriller. Even the final set needed extra games, as Wiker got it done 1(11) - 0(9). Wiker won the first three games, but Kert struck back with three of her own. From then on, Wiker put on the pressure, pulling ahead by one each time before Kert tied it up again. Wiker got it done in the end, giving the Bruins their fifth and final point of the match. 

Coach's Thoughts
It was another great win for the team," said Bruins head coach Rick Cruz. "Whitworth is always a tough team and place to play. After a rough start in the doubles, the girls bounced back and played really well! I couldn't be more proud of how they responded!"

What Happens Next
The Bruins come back home to take on Whitman and Willamette in a NWC doubleheader next Saturday, April 12th. The matches are scheduled to begin at 11 am and 3:30 pm.