SURPRISE, Ariz. - The Pacific Lutheran University women's tennis team opened up its spring season on Monday afternoon, coming up short 7-0 against host Ottawa University in the Lutes' first competitive match since late September. 

"It was great to be back on the court with the team after three months off," said Head Coach Cheri Campbell.

"We played a tough team today but the scores don't reflect how hard the Lutes competed. This trip will help us get a jump start on the season and prepare us for conference play."

In doubles play, Ella Burriss and Katelyn Gonzalez offered stiff resistance at the No. 3 position before ultimately coming up short 6-3 to the Spirit's (1-0) Johanna Sotelo-Mena and Lyndsee Fleury. At the No. 2 spot, Meggie Burnett and Lilian Nguyen came up on the wrong side of a 6-2 scoreline against Tiana Pritts and Veronica Gallardo.

In singles play, Libertad Sarmiento proved a worthy adversary at the No. 5 spot, falling 6-3, 6-3, to Sotelo-Mena while Jillian Chong nearly pulled out the win in the second set at No. 3 singles, dropping the match by a, 6-1, 6-4, scoreline. 

The Lutes (0-1) are back on the courts tomorrow afternoon, facing Paradise Valley Community College at 2 p.m. in Phoenix.