By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

TACOMA, Wash. -- Willamette University won all three doubles matches, each by an 8-6 margin, to start the Bearcats on their way to an 8-1 victory over University of Puget Sound in Northwest Conference men's tennis action on Sunday, Feb. 26 at the Puget Sound Tennis Pavilion. Willamette improved to 1-4 overall, 1-3 in the NWC, while the Loggers dropped to 0-5 overall, 0-5 in the NWC.

In the top doubles match, Gunnar Lee (Sr., Hilo, HI/St. Joseph School) and Aaron Schechter (So., Seattle, WA/James A. Garfield HS) of Willamette downed Joe McRoberts and Chris Severt.

At #2 doubles, Hunter Yee (Fr., Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) and Colin Fisher (Fr., Caldwell, ID/Thomas Jefferson Charter School) of WU outscored Chet Selis and Jacob Kompolt. The #3 doubles match was won by Douglas Hochmuth (Sr./So., Oakland, CA/Bishop O'Dowd HS) and Derek Lund (Jr., Helena, MT/Capital HS) who defeated Rajan Grad-Kaimal and Byron Grahamp of Puget Sound.

The sweep of the doubles matches by narrow margins gave Willamette momentum heading into the singles competition. The Bearcats won five of the six singles matches in straight sets, with the Loggers winning only at #5 singles in a super tie-breaker played instead of a third set.

Lee moved past McRoberts at #1 singles, winning 6-3, 6-3. Schechter defeated Kompolt in the first set, 6-2, and then held him off in the second set, 7-5. At #3 singles, Hochmuth easily downed Grad-Kaimal, 6-1, 6-1.

Yee won the #4 singles match against Severt, 6-4, 6-0. Selis of Puget Sound took the #5 singles match, as he edged out Fisher, 6-2, 2-6, 13-11. Lund recorded the win for the Bearcats at #6 singles against Yuwang Ha, 6-1, 6-1.

Willamette will host Whitworth University on Sunday, March 5. The action is set to begin at 11 a.m. (PST).