TACOMA, WASH. -- The University of Puget Sound won all three matches in doubles, starting the Loggers on their way to defeating Willamette University, 6-3, in Northwest Conference men's tennis action on Saturday, April 12. UPS moved to 7-9 overall, 7-9 in the NWC. Willamette dropped to 6-9 overall, 6-8 in the conference.
Puget Sound moved in front of the Bearcats for fifth place in the NWC standings. UPS has completed its regular season conference schedule, while Willamette still has two matches on Sunday, April 13. The Bearcats will jump over the Loggers with a pair of wins.
WU plays at George Fox University (2-12) at 10 a.m. (PDT). The Bearcats will take on Pacific University (1-15) at the Willamette University Tennis Courts at 1:30 p.m. (PDT).
On Saturday, UPS won two close doubles matches on its way to a 3-0 lead. Jamie Hosmer and Sam McCullugh provided the Loggers with an 8-6 win over Eric MacMillan (Sr., Twin Falls, ID/Twin Falls HS) and Andrew Murakami (Jr., Wahiawa, HI/University of Redlands). Puget Sound also won 8-6 at #2 doubles, with Nick Amlund and Alex Harrison edging WU's team of Matt Houser (Fr., Vancouver, WA/Evergreen HS) and Luke Lagattuta (So., Albuquerque, NM/Highland HS).
MacMillan defeated Hosmer at #1 singles, 6-1, 6-3, to lead WU to a split of the day's final six matches. Murakami downed McCullugh, 6-0, 6-3, at #3 singles, and Lagattuta won in straight sets over Carl Larson at #6 singles, 6-1, 6-1, for WU's remaining victories.
Two of the three singles wins by UPS were in three-set matches. At #2 singles, Amlund and Mack split the first two sets before Amlund won a super tie-breaker to take the match, 4-6, 6-3, 10-7. At #4 singles, Scooter Sabel of Puget Sound rallied past Houser, 2-6, 6-4, 6-0.
Saturday, April 12
At University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Wash.
University of Puget Sound 6, Willamette University 3
Singles
#1 - Eric MacMillan (WU) defeated Jamie Hosmer (UPS), 6-1, 6-3
#2 - Nick Amlund (UPS) defeated Micah Mack (WU), 4-6, 6-3, 10-7*
#3 - Andrew Murakami (WU) defeated Sam McCullugh (UPS), 6-0, 6-3
#4 - Scooter Sable (UPS) defeated Matt Houser (WU), 2-6, 6-4, 6-0
#5 - Alex Harrison (UPS) defeated Fitz Paccione (WU), 6-3, 6-3
#6 - Luke Lagattuta (WU) defeated Carl Larson (UPS), 6-1, 6-1
Doubles
#1 - Hosmer and McCullugh (UPS) defeated MacMillan and Murakami (WU), 8-6
#2 - Amlund and Harrison (UPS) defeated Houser and Lagattuta (WU), 8-6
#3 - Sable and Larson (UPS) defeated Mack and Paccione (WU), 8-2
* Tie-breaker played instead of a third set
Records: Puget Sound is 7-9 overall, 7-9 in the NWC; Willamette is 6-9 overall, 6-8 in the NWC.
