By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

FOREST GROVE, ORE. -- Willamette University picked up two wins at the top of the singles lineup against Pacific University on Tuesday, April 3, but the Boxers won the remaining matches to defeat the Bearcats, 7-2, in Northwest Conference men's tennis action at the Holce Tennis Courts.

Pacific, ranked #13 in the West Region, improved to 9-5 overall, 8-1 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 3-10 on the season, 3-6 in the NWC.

Joshua Wong (Jr., Hilo, HI/Hilo HS) of Willamette won #1 singles over Troy Zuroske with a close triumph in the first set, 6-3, before taking command in the second set, 6-0. When the Bearcats and Pacific met earlier this year on Feb. 25, a 6-3 win for the Boxers, Wong defeated Zuroske in three sets, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.

Cody Ferguson (Sr., North Bend, OR/North Bend HS/Western Oregon Univ.) from WU outlasted Spencer Hing of Pacific at #2 singles. Ferguson prevailed in a super tie-breaker played instead of a third set, 6-2, 2-6, 10-8. The win avenged a 6-2, 6-1 loss by Ferguson against Hing in the meeting earlier in the season.

In Tuesday's rematch, Pacific surged out to a 3-0 lead during doubles play. Zuroske and Giancarlo Battaglia cruised past Wong and Ferguson at #1 doubles, 8-1.

At #2 doubles, Hing and Brandon Schlack outscored Will Cooper (So., Gresham, OR/Centennial HS) and Garrett Vincent (So., Seattle, WA/Seattle Prep/Bellevue CC), 8-4. At #3 doubles, the Pacific team of Scott Kawamura and Kolin Wong downed Will Agnew-Svoboda (So., Corvallis, OR/Corvallis HS) and Cameron Thompson (Jr., Torrance, CA/North Torrance HS), 8-0.

Wong and Ferguson gave Willamette control of the top two positions in singles, but Pacific won in straight sets in the other four matches. At #3 singles, Battaglia was victorious in two challenging sets against Vincent, 7-5, 7-5.

Schlack rolled past Cooper at #4 singles 6-2, 6-2. Kawamura defeated Agnew-Svoboda at #5 singles, 6-0, 6-2, and Eric Furuya dealt a loss to Jack Schreiber (Fr., Solana Beach, CA/The Grauer School) at #6 singles, 6-1, 6-0.

The Bearcats will host Whitworth University on Friday, April 6 at the Willamette University Tennis Courts in Salem, Ore. Match time is scheduled for 3 p.m. (PDT).