By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications
SALEM, Ore. -- Pacific Lutheran University built a 2-1 lead in doubles, and then split the six singles matches, to claim a 5-4 victory over Willamette University in a non-conference men's tennis match on Sunday, Sept. 30. the Lutes upped their record to 1-0, while the Bearcats fell to 0-2.
Willamette won #1 doubles, but the Lutes were victorious at #2 and #3 doubles. In the #1 match, Andrew Kabacy (Fr., Vancouver, WA/Skyview HS) and Aaron Schechter (Sr., Seattle, WA/James A. Garfield HS) of Willamete defeated Justin DeMattos and Jake Kim from Pacific Lutheran, 8-4.
Michael Campbell and Marcus Lee of PLU won #2 doubles against Gene Perle-Jones (Jr., Eugene, OR/North Eugene HS) and Colin Fisher (Jr., Caldwell, ID/Thomas Jefferson Charter School) of Willamette, 8-1. The Lutes also grabbed an 8-1 win at #3 doubles, as Branson Near and Jamin Perry downed Luke Hiserman (So., Monterey, CA/Pacific Grove HS) and Charles Pezeshki.
The #1 singles match was won by Michael Campbell from Pacific Lutheran over Kabacy of Willamettte, 6-3, 6-3. At #2 singles, DeMattos of PLU needed three sets to defeat Perle-Jones, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. The Lutes also won at #5 singles, as Branson Near moved past Luke Hiserman (So., Monterey, CA/Pacific Grove HS) of WU, 6-1, 6-3.
Willamette grabbed wins at #3, #4 and #6 singles. In the #3 singles match, Fisher rolled to a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Lee of PLU. At #4 singles, Schechter won a battle with the Lutes' Kim, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. Endy Zarate (Sr., Salem, OR/McKay HS) of WU prevailed at #6 singles in a super tie-breaker, 5-7, 6-1, 10-5.
The Bearcats will take on Linfield College on Sunday, Oct. 7 in McMinnville, Oregon. Match time is slated for 10 a.m. (PDT).