By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University men's tennis player Andrew Kabacy (So., Vancouver, WA/Skyview HS) earned a win at #1 singles, and Colin Fisher (Sr., Caldwell, ID/Thomas Jefferson Charter School) and Gene Perle-Jones (Sr., Eugene, OR/North Eugene HS) registered a victory for the Bearcats at #1 doubles, but visiting Otterbein University (Ohio) overcame the losses to win the overall match, 7-2, at the Salem Tennis and Swim Club on Tuesday, March 3. Otterbein advanced its record to 7-2, while Willamette slipped to 0-2.

Kabacy prevailed at #1 singles in a match decided with a super tie-breaker instead of a third set. Brandon Wall of Otterbein took the first set in a regular tie-breaker, 7-6 (7-2). Kabacy rallied with a 6-0 win in the second set, before outlasting Wall in the super tie-breaker, 10-7. At #1 doubles, Fisher and Perle-Jones edged out Wall and Connor Radune in a tie-breaker, as the Willamette duo won the extra play 7-5 to claim an 8-7 win.

The singles match between Kabacy and Wall was one of two singles battles that were decided in super tie-breakers. In the #2 singles match, Radune rolled past Fisher in the first set, 6-1, but Fisher grabbed the second set, 6-3. The super tie-breaker that followed was won by Radune, 12-10.

All of the remaining singles matches were won by Otterbein in straight sets. At #3 singles, Tom Ohler had to hold off Perle-Jones in the second set before recording a 6-1, 6-4 victory. Jamie Price won at #4 singles, while Riley Yost triumphed fat #5 singles, and Boban Mihajlov registered a victory for the Cardinals at #6 singles.

Although Fisher and Perle-Jones won for Willamette at #1 doubles, Otterbein escaped doubles play with a 2-1 team lead. At #3 doubles, the Cardinals' pair of Armando DiMichaelangelo and Jared Deel outscored Luke Hiserman (Jr., Monterey, CA/Pacific Grove HS) and Andrew Kropp (Fy, Bend, OR/Summit HS) by a slim 8-6 margin. At #2 doubles, Ohler and Price of Otterbein defeated Quentin Nigbur (Fy., Newberg, OR/Newberg HS) and Thomas Andersen (Fy., Salem, OR/South Salem HS), 8-2.

Willamette is scheduled to host Northwest Conference opponent Linfield College on Saturday, March 7 at 11 a.m. (PST). The match will be played at the WU Tennis Courts if the weather allows. If not, the match will be played at the Salem Tennis and Swim Club.