Girls’ Doubles Sweep Secures Victory While Burnham Shines in Marathon Tiebreaker
ELLENSBURG, WA — It was a tale of two outcomes at the CWU Lister Tennis Complex on Thursday, April 9, as the Ellensburg Bulldogs hosted the East Valley Red Devils. While the Bulldog girls rode a wave of doubles dominance to a gritty 3–2 team victory, the boys struggled to find footing against a deep East Valley roster, falling 1–4 in the dual match.
Girls Program: Doubles Depth Seals the Win
The Ellensburg girls proved once again that their doubles rotation is the backbone of the program. Despite two heartbreaking three-set marathons in singles play, the Bulldogs swept all three doubles flights to secure the team win.
Grace Lester and McKenna Franklin set the standard at 1st doubles with a convincing 6–2, 6–2 victory. They were followed by Annika Youngren and Kyrstin Van Komen, who battled through a tight first set to win 7–5, 6–3. The 3rd doubles duo of Sylvia Gruber and Marely Martinez Soltero remained clinical, dropping only two games in a 6–2, 6–0rout.
In singles, Hope Button and Kate Redfearn both pushed their opponents to the limit. Button erased a first-set deficit to force a third, while Redfearn traded dominant sets before ultimately falling in a three-set thriller.
Boys Program: Burnham Wins a Classic
The highlight of the boys’ side was undoubtedly Matthew Burnham’s performance at 2nd singles. In a first set that felt like a match in itself, Burnham outlasted East Valley’s Carter Haver in a marathon tiebreaker, winning 11–9 to take the set 7–6. With the momentum in his favor, Burnham cruised through the second set 6–2 to provide the Bulldogs’ lone point of the day.
Elsewhere, the Red Devils’ depth proved too much. At 1st doubles, Boston Seamons and Sam Rausch showed flashes of brilliance, particularly during a dominant 6–1 second set, but were unable to maintain the momentum in the third-set decider.
Match Results Summary: Bulldogs vs. Red Devils
Girls Varsity (EHS Wins 3–2)
| Flight | Result | Score |
| 1st Singles | A. Mendoza (EV) def. Hope Button | 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 |
| 2nd Singles | K. Fuentes (EV) def. Kate Redfearn | 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 |
| 1st Doubles | Lester/Franklin (EHS) def. Florez/Ares | 6-2, 6-2 |
| 2nd Doubles | Youngren/Van Komen (EHS) def. Morrier/Overacker | 7-5, 6-3 |
| 3rd Doubles | Gruber/Soltero (EHS) def. Lyon/Marquis | 6-2, 6-0 |
Boys Varsity (EV Wins 4–1)
| Flight | Result | Score |
| 1st Singles | L. Fast (EV) def. Grady Bayne | 6-4, 6-2 |
| 2nd Singles | Matthew Burnham (EHS) def. C. Haver | 7-6 (11-9), 6-2 |
| 1st Doubles | Miller/Rodriguez (EV) def. Seamons/Rausch | 6-4, 1-6, 6-0 |
| 2nd Doubles | Toth/Wheeler (EV) def. Garcia/Welsh | 6-0, 6-2 |
| 3rd Doubles | Munguia/Weaver (EV) def. Hammond/Weidenbach | 6-1, 6-0 |
Up Next
The Bulldogs will look to refine their singles consistency and doubles closing power as they continue through the CWAC schedule. The girls’ program remains a force to be reckoned with, while Burnham’s mental toughness provides a blueprint for the boys’ squad moving forward.