SALEM, ORE. -- Whitworth University held off Willamette University, 5-4, in a Northwest Conference men's tennis match at the Courthouse Tennis Club on Saturday, March 29. It was the second victory by a single point for the Pirates against the Bearcats this season. Whitworth also defeated Willamette 5-4 on Feb. 22 in Spokane, Wash.
With the win, the Pirates upped their overall record to 12-8, while improving to 9-5 in the NWC. Willamette went to 5-8 overall, 5-7 in the NWC.
The final match to be completed was at #6 singles, where Henry Williams of Whitworth defeated Alex Sepenzis (Jr., Edwards, CO/Cherry Creek HS) of Willamette, 7-5, 7-5. Williams led 4-3 in the second set, before Sepenzis won two games in a row to take a 5-4 lead.
Williams closed out the match by winning the next three games. His win secured the final team point in Whitworth's 5-4 victory.
Whitworth took a 2-1 lead in doubles. The Pirates won #1 doubles when Ed Anegon and Brian Elliot edged Micah Mack (So., Wenatchee, WA/Wenatchee HS) and Andrew Murakami (Jr., Wahiawa, HI/University of Redlands), 8-6. Whitworth also won #2 doubles, with Scott Donnell and Joe Wales defeating Eric MacMillan (Sr., Twin Falls, ID/Twin Falls HS) and Matt Houser (Fr., Vancouver, WA/Evergreen HS), 8-5.
The Bearcats won #3 doubles. Fitz Paccione (Sr., Encinitas, CA/Cathedral Catholic HS) and Luke Lagattuta (So., Albuquerque, NM/Highland HS) earned the win for Willamette, as they downed Williams and Josh Steele, 8-5.
MacMillan won the top singles position, as he defeated Steele, 6-1, 6-2. The Bearcats also registered wins at #3 and #5 singles, as Murakami held off Anegon, 7-5, 6-4, in the #3 spot and Paccione outlasted Wales , 7-5, 6-3, in the #5 match.
Willamette's next match is on Friday, April 4 at George Fox University. Match time in Newberg, Ore., is set for 1 p.m. (PDT).
Saturday, March 29
At Courthouse Tennis Club, Salem, Ore.
Whitworth University 5, Willamette University 4
Singles
#1 - Eric MacMillan (WU) defeated Josh Steele (WHTW), 6-1, 6-2
#2 - Brian Elliot (WHTW) defeated Micah Mack (WU), 6-0, 6-2
#3 - Andrew Murakami (WU) defeated Ed Anegon (WHTW), 7-5, 6-4
#4 - Scott Donnell (WHTW) defeated Matt Houser (WU), 6-3, 6-3
#5 - Fitz Paccione (WU) defeated Joe Wales (WHTW), 7-5, 6-3
#6 - Henry Williams (WHTW) defeated Alex Sepenzis (WU), 7-5, 7-5
Doubles
#1 - Elliot and Anegon (WHTW) defeated Mack and Murakami (WU), 8-6
#2 - Donnell and Wales (WHTW) defeated MacMillan and Houser (WU), 8-5
#3 - Paccione and Luke Lagattuta (WU) defeated Steele and Williams (WHTW), 8-5
Records: Whitworth is 12-8 overall, 9-5 in the NWC; Willamette is 5-8 overall, 5-7 in the NWC.
Andrew Murakami defeated Ed Anegon at #3 singles, 7-5, 6-4.
