By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University earned victories at #1 and #2 doubles for a 2-1 lead, but Bellevue College rallied for a 6-3 win over the Bearcats, in an exhibition match on Friday, Feb. 18 at the Salem Tennis and Swim Club. The NCAA doesn't count matches against two-year colleges. Bellevue competes in the Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) at the junior college level. Willamette is a member of the Northwest Conference (NWC) and competes in NCAA Division III.

Andrew Kropp (Jr., Bend, OR/Summit HS) and Quentin Nigbur (Jr., Newberg, OR/Newberg HS) of Willamette took the #1 doubles match, 8-6, over Dario Ritovski and Kyle Nget of Bellevue. At #2 doubles, WU's team of Andre Lief (Fy., Anchorage, AK/West Anchorage HS) and Jordan Megiveron (Jr., Edmonds, WA/Edmonds-Woodway HS) downed Tyler Gettman and Emmanuel Nguyen, 8-4. Bellevue won #3 doubles, as Alistair Jones and Tyler Houser moved past Trey Allen and Douglas Ii, 8-2.

Willamette added just one win in singles, but the Bearcats were very competitive in three other matches. The WU win was gained at #5 singles by Jesus Barocio Garibay, who outlasted Jones in a super tie-breaker played instead of a third set, 3-6, 6-1, 10-5.

Bellevue earned narrow wins at #2, #4, and #6 singles. In the #2 match, Nget split the first two sets before edging out Lief in a super tiebreaker, 4-6, 6-0, 10-6. At #4 singles, Allen of Willamette won the first set, 6-4, but Nguyen won a tie-breaker in the second set, 7-6 (7-4), and then claimed a super tie-breaker, 10-5. at #6 singles Houser defeated Ii in two close sets, 6-3, 6-4. Also winning singles matches for BC were Ritovski at #1 and Gettman at #3.

Willamette will take on Lewis & Clark College in a non-conference match between NWC rivals on Feb. 27 in Portland, Oregon. Match time is slated for 10 a.m. (PST).