TACOMA, Washington – Lia Van Steeter fought for a victory at No. 4 singles, but the Puget Sound women's tennis team dropped an 8-1 decision against Whitman in the Tennis Pavilion Sunday afternoon. It was the first Northwest Conference match of the season.

Van Steeter beat her Blues counterpart in two sets (6-4, 6-1). However, the Loggers dropped the other five singles matches in two sets, each.

Whitman won all three doubles matches by identical 8-3 scores.

Puget Sound returns home next week to host Willamette Saturday, Feb. 22, at 1 p.m.