By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Lewis & Clark College, ranked #7 in the West Region of NCAA Division III by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), defeated Willamette University 9-0 on Sunday, Feb. 18 in the Northwest Conference opener for both teams. The Pioneers advanced their record to 3-2 on the season, 1-0 in the Northwest Conference. Willamette fell to 0-2 overall, 0-1 in the NWC.

"Lewis & Clark is a solid team," Willamette Head Coach Rick Wood said. "I'm really proud of the team morale, attitude and fight."

The Pioneers grabbed a 3-0 lead in doubles, winning all three matches by identical 8-2 scores. In the top doubles match, L&C's team of Jackson Powell and Pim Trouerbach downed Aaron Schechter (Jr., Seattle, WA/James A. Garfield HS) and Colin Fisher (So., Caldwell, IDThomas Jefferson Charter School) of Willamette. At #2 doubles, Raed Attia and Kei Inoue moved past Owen Burcham (Fr., Portland, ORWilson HS) and Gene Perle-Jones (So., Eugene, OR/North Eugene HS). At #3 doubles, Ramez Attia and Keane Hindle defeated Luke Hiserman (Fr., Monterey, CA/Pacific Grove HS) and David Liang (Fr., Beijing, China/Bellevue Christian School, Wash.).

Schechter provided a strong battle for the Bearcats at #1 singles, but Ramez Attia won both sets, 6-3, 6-3. Brendon Adams of L&C took #2 singles versus Fisher, 6-2, 6-1. In the #3 singles match Riley Vickers won for the Pioneers over Perle-Jones, 6-3, 6-3.

Also winning for L&C in singles play were Hindle at the #4 position, Will McDermott at #5 and Marc Hayashi at #6. Hayashi held off Hiserman in the first set, 6-3, and then won the second set, 6-2.

Willamette will take on Pacific Lutheran University and University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, next weekend. The Bearcats will play at Pacific Lutheran on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 1 p.m. (PST) and will compete against Puget Sound on Sunday, Feb. 25 at 11 a.m.