TACOMA, WASH. -- Pacific Lutheran University took a 3-0 lead with a sweep of the doubles matches, than withstood a comeback by Willamette University during singles, as the Lutes edged the Bearcats, 5-4, in a Northwest Conference men's tennis match on Saturday, April 14.
Pacific Lutheran upped its record to 7-10 overall, 5-7 in the Northwest Conference. Willamette concluded its dual match season at 3-13 overall, 3-9 in the NWC.
The Bearcats will compete in singles and doubles at the Ojai Tournament in Ojai, Calif., on April 26-27.
On Saturday, all three doubles matches were competitive, but Pacific Lutheran gained the edge each time.
At #1 doubles, the PLU team of Daniel Cotton and Luke Olson defeated Joshua Wong (Jr., Hilo, HI/Hilo HS) and Cody Ferguson (Sr., North Bend, OR/North Bend HS/Western Oregon Univ.) of Willamette, 8-5. In #2 doubles, Taylor Dickey and Spencer Herron of PLU downed Garrett Vincent (So., Seattle, WA/Seattle Prep/Bellevue CC) and Cameron Thompson (Jr., Torrance, CA/North Torrance HS), 8-6.
The #3 doubles match was won by Raymond DeLeon and Colton Heath for the Lutes, as they outlasted Will Cooper (So., Gresham, OR/Centennial HS) and Jack Schreiber (Fr., Solana Beach, CA/The Grauer School), 8-6.
Willamette won four of the six singles matches, as the Bearcats were victorious at the top two positions as well as #5 and #6 singles.
Wong edged out Colton in the first set at #1 singles, before breezing through the second set in a 6-4, 6-0 triumph. At #2 singles, Ferguson defeated Dickey, 6-3, 6-1. Will Agnew-Svoboda (So., Corvallis, OR/Corvallis HS) surged through #5 singles for a 6-1, 6-2 win over DeLeon. Schreiber took #6 singles for the Bearcats, as he moved past Kyle McKee, 6-1, 6-2.
Pacific Lutheran picked up wins at #3 and #4 singles to secure the overall victory. In the #3 match, Olson downed Vincent, 6-2, 6-2. At #4 singles, Herron also won 6-2, 6-2, as he defeated Cooper.
Will Agnew-Svoboda was victorious for the Bearcats at #5 singles, as he defeated Raymond DeLeon, 6-1, 6-2.
