By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- For the fourth consecutive match, Andrew Kabacy (Grad., Vancouver, WA/Skyview HS) of Willamette University won at #1 singles and teamed with Velibor Mladenovic (Fy., Belgrade, Serbia/First Belgrade Grammar School) to earn a victory at #1 doubles, as the Bearcats took on Whitworth University on Saturday, April 1 at the Salem Tennis and Swim Club. Whitworth won the overall match.

Kabacy defeated Nathan Tjelle of Whitworth in straight sets in the #1 singles match, 6-1, 6-1. Kabacy and Mladenovic outscored Payton Romey and Henry Preacher at #1 doubles, 8-5.

The Pirates upped their record to 7-9 overall, 3-2 in the NWC. Willamette fell to 0-11 overall, 1-5 in the NWC. Both teams recently received a conference win due to Pacific Lutheran University canceling the end of its season. The matches scheduled with PLU count in the NWC standings, but they are considered "no contests" and do not count in a team's overall record.

Although Kabacy and Mladenovic continued their winning streak at #1 doubles, the Pirates earned wins at #2 doubles and #3 doubles. In the #2 match, Tjelle and Ethan Warring downed Quentin Nigbur (Sr., Newberg, OR/Newberg HS) and Andrew Kropp (Sr., Bend, OR/Summit HS), 8-4. In the #3 match, Jess Weaver and Lance Dunn defeated Andre Lief (So., Anchorage, AK/West Anchorage HS) and Luca Casano (Fy., Honolulu, HI/Punahou School), 8-2.

At #2 singles, Warring moved past Mladenovic, 6-0, 6-3. In the #3 singles match, Romey of Whitworth outscored Nigbur in a tie-breaker to take the first set on his way to a 7-6 (7-2), 6-2 victory. Other winners in singles for Whitworth were Weaver at #4, Preacher at #5, and Colby Cinqmars at #6.

Willamette will battle Whitman College on Sunday, April 1 at the Salem Tennis and Swim Club. Match time is scheduled for 11 a.m. (PDT).