Kropp and Nigbur Battle in Singles and Doubles against Puget Sound

Andrew Kropp tossed the ball to serve.
Andrew Kropp (Jr., Bend, OR/Summit HS)

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Andrew Kropp (Jr., Bend, OR/Summit HS) and Quentin Nigbur (Jr., Newberg, OR/Newberg HS) played a solid match at #1 doubles and both excelled in singles before falling in super tie-breakers, as Willamette University took on the University of Puget Sound on Sunday, April 10 at the Salem Tennis and Swim Club. Puget Sound won the NWC match 9-0 to improve to 3-6 overall, 3-4 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 0-8 overall, 0-6 in the NWC.

At #1 doubles, the Puget Sound team of Rene Del Barco and Conor Blakeney held off Kropp and Nigbur, 8-5. The Loggers' team of Nicholas Pulido and Levi Buck won #2 doubles against Andre Lief (Fy., Anchorage, AK/West Anchorage HS) and Trey Allen (Fy., Tucson, AZ/BASIS Tucson North HS) of Willamette, 8-4.

Kropp and Brayden Sawyer of Puget Sound battled at #1 singles. Kropp won the first set, but Sawyer rallied for a 4-6, 6-0, 11-9 win. At #2 singles, Will Church of PS edged out Nigbur, 4-6, 7-5, 11-9.

Also winning in singles for the Loggers were Lowell Hutton at #3, Matthew Merzbach at #4, and David Lybeck at #5. Willamette lost by default at #3 doubles and #6 singles due to an injury.

The Bearcats are set to take on Whitworth University on Friday, April 15. Match time is set for 1 p.m. (PDT) in Spokane, Washington.