NEWBERG, Ore. — The College of Idaho finally slammed the door on more than a decade of frustration Friday, snapping its long losing streak to George Fox with a dramatic 4-3 victory that came down to the final singles match.
The Yotes, who had not beaten the Bruins since 2013, dropped the doubles point despite a strong 6-4 showing from Kinsey Lockhart and Nicole Tran. But singles play swung the match into thriller territory.
Adele Long and Lockhart struck quickly, each cruising past their opponents to put the Yotes in front. George Fox answered with wins from Riley Bobkie and Sophie Denham, reclaiming a 3-2 lead and inching within one point of another series victory.
Lina Boylan shifted the momentum back to the Yotes with a gritty performance, outlasting her opponent 6-4, 7-5 to tie the match at 3-3.
That left everything on the racquet of freshman Alyssa Johnson, and she delivered with poise beyond her years. Johnson dominated from the start, rolling to a 6-1, 6-4 win that clinched the historic victory and unleashed a long-awaited celebration for the Yotes.
College of Idaho now continues its Oregon road trip, heading to Willamette today for the second stop.
