By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Andrew Kabacy (So., Vancouver, WA/Skyview HS) won #1 singles and Gene Perle-Jones earned a victory at #3 singles, but Linfield College took the overall match, 7-2, as the Bearcats and Wildcats battled in Northwest Conference men's tennis action at the Salem Tennis and Swim Club on Saturday, March 7. Linfield upped its record to 2-1 on the season, 1-0 in the NWC, while Willamette fell to 0-3 overall, 0-1 in the NWC.

In the #1 singles match, Kabacy held off Luis Rojas in the first set, 6-4, and then won comfortably in the second set, 6-1. Perle-Jones won #3 singles in a similar fashion, as he defeated Cameron Ventura, 6-4, 6-1. Colin Fisher (Sr., Caldwell, ID/Thomas Jefferson Charter School) of Willamette dropped a close match at #2 singles in a super tie-breaker played instead of a third set. Michale Manion outlasted Fisher for a 7-5, 1-6, 10-5 win.

Also winning in singles for Linfield were Will Worth at #4, Thomas Foy at #5, and Josef Shum at #6. All three won in straight sets.

Two of the doubles matches were strongly contested. At #1 doubles, Rojas and Ventura of the Wildcats outscored Fisher and Perle-Jones, 8-6. At #3 doubles, Linfield's Foy and Ethan Myers grabbed an 8-6 victory against Luke Hiserman (Jr., Monterey, CA/Pacific Grove HS) and Andrew Kropp (Fy, Bend, OR/Summit HS). The #2 doubles competition was won by Manion and Worth of Linfield, 8-3, over Kabacy and Quentin Nigbur (Fy., Newberg, OR/Newberg HS).

The Bearcats will take on George Fox University at the Salem Tennis and Swim Club on Sunday, March 8. Action will begin at 10 a.m. (PDT).