WALLA WALLA – Sixteenth-ranked Whitman handed Pacific Lutheran its first loss of the 2014 spring season, as the Missionaries claimed an 8-1 Northwest Conference women's tennis win against the Lutes Friday afternoon.

Pacific Lutheran falls to 6-1 overall and 4-1 in conference play, while Whitman improves to 6-5 overall and 5-0 in the NWC. The Lutes head to Whitworth next to take on the Pirates on Saturday, beginning at 11 a.m.

The Missionaries opened the afternoon with a sweep of the doubles matches, and they looked strong through the first four singles matchups as well to clinch the win. Mariah Siemion gave PLU its lone win of the day – and improved her singles record to a perfect 7-0 in the process – with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Hannah Palkowitz in the No. 5 singles match.

Emily Bower made the No. 6 match exciting as well, as Allie Wallin claimed a 7-6 tiebreaker win in the first set before Bower tied it up with a 6-2 second-set victory. A super tiebreaker went to Wallin by the narrow score of 10-8 to finish out the day.