PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Bruins ended their weekend with a loss versus Lewis and Clark, falling to the River Otters 4-3.

How it Happened
The Bruins started off on an uphill battle, getting swept in all three of their doubles matches, giving the opening point to L&C. Riley Bobkiewicz and Shanah Denham couldn't get over the hump once Susanna Anand and Charlotte Makoni took the lead in the No. 1 doubles match. They brought the match to a close with a 3-4 score after going on a 3-1 game run, but ultimately lost ground, going down 6-3. Sophie Denham and Juhree Kizziar took their matchup to a 3-3 standstill before also losing 6-3. The doubles duo of Nicole Schnurbusch and Audrey Gardner put up a strong effort in a 6-2 battle that saw them coming from behind from the start, being the second game that sealed the point for the Otters.

In singles play, the Bruins did not give up without a fight and took the Orange and Black right down to the wire. Bobkiewicz made her opponent, Susanna Anand, earn each and every point against her, but in the end lost both sets, 6-2, 6-2.

The following sequence was where the momentum started shifting. The first point for the Bruins was So. Denham on Court No. 3. The senior won the first set 6-3 and third set 6-0, using her finesse and experience to finish off her faceoff despite losing the second set 6-1 to Lewis & Clark's Mya Curry. Then the wins felt like dominoes. Kizziar stood her ground and gutted out a 7-3 tiebreak win before winning her second round 6-3, giving GFU their second point. Then, after losing her first set 6-2, a stellar comeback performance from Sh. Denham in a sequence of 6-2, then 6-4, edged out the win and put the Bruins on top 3-2. Sadly, Schnurbusch wasn't able to keep the streak alive and put in a strong second-set effort by taking the lead 4-2, but ultimately lost both sets in a 6-2, 6-4 fashion.

The final and most crucial match of the day landed in the hands of Gardner. She sealed the first stanza 6-2 and looked poised to take home the win for the Bruins; however, Madi Vianzon took control down the stretch and won the match, winning the final sets 6-0, then 6-1.

With this loss, the Bruins fall to a 0-1 Northwest Conference record and an 0-2 record on the season.

Coach's Thoughts
"It was a tough loss, but one that will hopefully make us stronger moving forward," said Bruins head coach Rick Cruz. "Shanah gutted out a great win at 2 while dealing with some foot issues. She showed great determination to get that win and give us a chance in the final couple of matches. With more experience, I believe we will start to win these tight matches."

What Happens Next
The Bruins will stay on the road and head to Salem, Ore., to compete against Willamette on Saturday, February 21, at 11:00 a.m.