By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Willamette University men's tennis player Aaron Schechter (Jr., Seattle, WA/James A. Garfield HS) won his first round match in singles at the ITA Northwest Regional on Friday, Sept. 29. The annual tournament is sponsored by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association and is being hosted by Lewis & Clark College.

Schechter defeated Garret Katayama of Pacific University in the first round, 6-2, 6-3. Schechter fell in the second round to Will Leach, 6-2, 6-2. Leach is one of several players tied for the 9-16 seeds in the singles bracket.

"Our team had a great day playing and watching the competition from the other teams in our conference," Head Coach Rick Wood said.

Three other Bearcats joined Schechter in the main singles draw on Friday. All three lost first round matches to seeded opponents. Robert Carter of Whitman, one of the eight players sharing seeds 9-16, moved past Jesse Mackinney (Sr., Arcata, CA/Northcoast Prep and Performing Arts Academy) of Willamette, 6-0, 6-0. Ramez Attia from Lewis & Clark, also seeded 9-16, downed Willamette's Owen Burcham (Fr., Portland, OR/Wilson HS), 6-2, 6-2. Another 9-16 seed, Jackson Powell from L&C, defeated Colin Fisher (So., Caldwell, ID/Thomas Jefferson Charter School) of WU, 6-0, 6-1.

Willamette was represented by two teams in the main doubles bracket. Schechter and Fisher formed one doubles team, while Mackinney and Burcham combined for the Willamette's second doubles team. Jonathan Chung and Ford Nakagawa of Pacific slipped past Schechter and Fisher by a 9-7 score. Carter and Zach Hewlin of Whitman, seeded #3, defeated Mackinney and Burham, 8-0. In addition to being seeded in doubles, Hewlin is the #1 seed in the singles bracket.

Qualifying rounds were played on Thursday to fill in the main singles and doubles brackets. Bearcats Ethan Frank (Fr., Lahaina, HI/Maui Preparatory Academy), Luke Hiserman (F.r, Monterey, CA/Pacific Grove HS), Endy Zarate (Jr., Salem, OR/McKay HS) and David Liang (Fr., Beijing, China/Bellevue Christian School, Wash.) each lost in the first round of the qualifying matches in singles.

In doubles, Hiserman and Liang fell in the first round of qualifying matches. Zarate and Frank also lost in the first round.

"Everyone did a great job of playing and supporting their teammates," said Schechter, the team's captain. "We are very excited for the season."

Action at the ITA Northwest Regional will continue on Saturday, Sept. 30 and Sunday, Oct. 1. It was unclear if consolation matches have been scheduled in singles and/or doubles.