TACOMA, Wash. - The Pacific Lutheran University women's tennis team will host Highline College and Whitworth University this weekend at the Sprinker Rec Center. The Lutes face the Thunderbirds on Saturday at 1 p.m. before hosting the Pirates on Sunday at 10:30 a.m.
 
The Lutes (1-1) are coming off a 5-4 victory last weekend against Bellevue College. Bayley Gochanour and Michelle Batin both prevailed in their singles match. Kylie Rademacher had a successful transition from basketball to tennis and secured the match winning point with a, 6-2, 6-3, win at the No. 6 position.
 
"The transition from basketball to tennis is always a little crazy and slightly stressful because I literally go 4-5 months without so much as picking up a tennis racket, which is horrible, but it's my reality, and then I just jump back in right on time for matches," said Rademacher. 
 
"This year we played our last basketball game on Saturday the 16th and I turned around and went to tennis practice the next morning. My teammates and coaches are amazing though and they definitely help make the transition as easy as possible. It's so hard for me knowing that I can't be there that first month while they're practicing so I'm always eager to get back on the tennis courts."
 
"When it comes down to it tennis is essentially an individual sport, but not here! What I enjoy most about playing tennis for the Lutes is the team focus, we love and support each other so well. We win together, lose together, laugh together, and we put in the sweat together."
 
Highline brings a young team into the 2019 season. Their roster is freshman heavy with five first years coming in. The Thunderbirds kicked off their season in Wenatchee and competed in the NWAC Fall Jamboree. 
 
Whitworth comes to PLU with a 2-1 record on the season. The Pirates spent last weekend in Lewiston, Idaho and Spokane. On Saturday, the Pirates lost to Lewis & Clark State College 6-3 but bounced back with a 6-3 Victory over the College of Idaho. The next day the Pirates traveled back to Spokane where they swept the Community Colleges of Spokane 9-0. The Pirates finished the 2017-2018 season in fifth place in the Northwest Conference.
 
"Due to the snow and all the cancellations these are our first home matches so we are excited to get out on the court!" continued Rademacher. "We all came out of last Sunday's match with things we wanted to work on and areas we wanted to grow in so we are hoping to build off that last match and come out with some solid team wins this weekend."