By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University earned victories at #1 and #2 doubles, and at five of six singles positions, as the Bearcats downed Bellevue College (Wash.), 7-2, in an exhibition match on Friday, Feb. 17 at the Salem Tennis and Swim Club. The match was an exhibition because the NCAA does not count results against two-year colleges.

Winning matches for the Bearcats in both singles and doubles were Andrew Kabacy (Grad., Vancouver, WA/Skyview HS), Quentin Nigbur (Sr., Newberg, OR/Newberg HS), Velibor Mladenovic (Fy., Belgrade, Serbia), and Andrew Kropp (Sr., Bend, OR/Summit HS). Andre Lief (So., Anchorage, AK/West Anchorage HS) added a win in singles.

At #1 doubles, Kabacy and Nigbur of WU edged out Zaid Khan and Jackson Stumpf of Bellevue, 8-6. In the #2 doubles match, Mladenovic and Kropp picked up an 8-2 win over Kyle Nget and Jack Nagler for Bellevue. The Bulldogs won #3 doubles, as Emmanuel Nguyen and Hunter Austin outlasted Lief and Luca Casano of Willamette in a tie-breaker, 8-7 (7-2).

Kabacy topped Willamette's five wins in singles by taking the #1 match, 6-2, 6-2, against Khan. Mladenovic prevailed at #2 singles versus Stumpf, as he claimed a 6-4, 6-4 triumph.

Nigbur defeated Nget in a close first set at #3 singles, 6-4, before breezing through the second set, 6-0. Kropp was victorious at #4 singles, 6-0, 6-4, against Nguyen of the Bulldogs. At #5 singles, Austin of Bellevue moved past Trey Allen of Willamette, 6-3, 6-0. Lief won the closest singles match for Willamette at #6, as he rallied to down Nagler in a super tie-breaker played instead of a third set, 4-6, 6-4, 11-9.

The Bearcats will be back in action on Saturday, Feb. 18, when they will play two matches against Pacific University. The first match will count in the Northwest Conference standings, while the second match will be non-conference. Competition in the first match is set to begin at 11 a.m. (PST).