By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

CLAREMONT, Calif. -- Sonoma State University downed Willamette University in men's tennis, 9-0, on Sunday, March 18 at Claremont Country Club. Sonoma State, a member of NCAA Division II and the PacWest Conference, improved to 9-2 on the season. Willamette, which competes in NCAA Division III and the Northwest Conference, fell to 2-5 overall.

At #1 doubles, Sonoma State's team of Sean Avles and Nate Oppenheim defeated Aaron Schechter (Jr., Seattle, WA/James A. Garfield HS) and Colin Fisher (So., Caldwell, ID/Thomas Jefferson Charter School) of Willamette, 8-3. Igor Pissarenko and Connor Mengert won for the Seawolves at #2 doubles, 8-0, over Gene Perle-Jones (So., Eugene, OR/North Eugene HS) and Owen Burcham (Fr., Portland, OR/Wilson HS). In the #3 doubles match, Max Nudell and Alex Wong of SSU outscored Luke Hiserman (Fr., Monterey, CA/Pacific Grove HS) and David Liang (Fr., Beijing, China/Bellevue Christian School, Wash.), 8-4.

The Seawolves won all of the singles matches in straight sets. At #1 singles, Alves rolled past Schechter in the first set, 6-0, before holding off Schechter in the second set, 6-3. Other winners for Sonoma Sate in singles were Nudell at #2, Pissarenko at #3, Mentert at #4, Nicky Valdecanas at #5 and Dylan King at #6.

Willamette will play three matches next weekend, starting with a Northwest Conference battle against Whitworth University on Saturday, March 24 in Spokane, Washington. Match time is slated for 9 a.m. (PDT). The Bearcats will play an exhibition match versus Community Colleges of Spokane later on Saturday. The match with CC of Spokane is set to begin at 4 p.m. Willamette will take on NWC opponent Whitman College, ranked #12 in NCAA Division III by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), on Sunday, March 25 at 10 a.m. in Walla Walla, Washington.