(MEN'S TENNIS) SALEM, ORE. -- Pacific Lutheran University lost the #1 doubles match and faced strong opposition in the first set at #4, #5 and #6 singles, but the Lutes held of Willamette University for an 8-1 win in the first match of a doubleheader, Saturday, Feb. 24 at the Courthouse Tennis Club. In the second match, Pacific Lutheran defeated Willamette by an identical 8-1 score. The wins allowed PLU to improve to 4-3 overall and moved the Lutes into sole possession of second place in the Northwest Conference at 4-1. The Bearcats dropped to 2-4 on the season, 2-3 in the NWC.
In the days first match, Willamettes top doubles team of Donovan LeDoux (Fr., Keizer, OR/McNary HS) and Eric MacMillan (Jr., Twin Falls, ID/Twin Falls HS) edged PLUs #1 team of Jeff Loranger and Justin Peterson, 9-8, after winning a tie-breaker 7-5 to decide the pro set. LeDoux and MacMillan trailed 7-6 during the set, but won back-to-back games to take an 8-7 lead. PLU won the next game to force the tie-breaker. In the tie-breaker, the Lutes took a 5-3 lead, but LeDoux and MacMillan won four consecutive points to win the match.
PLUs David Miller and Tyler Ochsner were the winners over Shaun Mihalick (Sr., Mukilteo, WA/Eastlake HS) and Micah Mack (Fr., Wenatchee, WA/Wenatchee HS) at #2 doubles, 8-2. At #3 doubles, Kevin Floyd and Jared Vidano downed WUs team of Fitz Paccione (Jr., Encinitas, CA/Cathedral Catholic HS) and Geoff Klein (Jr., Sagle, ID/Sandpoint HS), 8-4.
Willamettes top performance in singles came from Mihalick, who won the first set, 6-4, over Peterson at #4 singles. Peterson rallied to win the match by taking the second and third sets, 6-3, 6-4. Vidano of PLU slipped past Mack in the first set at #5 singles, 6-4, then won the second set, 6-1. At #6 singles, Tyler Ochsner completed the singles sweep for the Lutes by defeating Klein, 6-4, 6-2.
In the second match of the day, Loranger and Peterson avenged their earlier loss to LeDoux and MacMillan by claiming an 8-3 win at the #1 position. PLU also won #2 and #3 doubles, with Miller and Ochsner defeating Mihalick and Mack, 8-3, while Floyd and Vidano downed Paccione and Klein, 8-1.
PLU won five of the six singles matches in the nightcap, but faced solid competition from the Bearcats, who won at least three games in seven of the 10 sets carried by the Lutes. Willamettes lone win in singles was achieved by Mack at the #5 position, as he outlasted Ochsner, 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 10-5 (tie-breaker instead of third set), In another close match, Peterson of PLU defeated Paccione of Willamette, 6-3, 7-6, after winning a tie-breaker in the second set, 10-8.
Both sets were competitive in PLUs win at #2 singles, as Floyd held off LeDoux, 6-4, 7-5. At #6 singles, Vidano of PLU received a fierce battle from Klein in the first set, before winning the match 7-5, 6-1. In the #1 singles match, Miller provided the Lutes with a 6-2, 6-3 win over MacMillan.
Willamette will play the third match in a five-match homestand on Sunday, Feb. 25, against Whitman College. Match time is set for 10 a.m. (PST) at the Courthouse Tennis Club. Willamette will complete the homestand with matches against Lewis & Clark College on Saturday, March 3 at 11 a.m. (PST) and against Linfield College on Sunday, March 4 at 1 p.m. (PST). The Lewis & Clark and Linfield matches also will be played at the Courthouse Tennis Club.
Saturday, Feb. 24, 2007
At Courthouse Tennis Club, Salem, Ore.
Match #1 - Pacific Lutheran University 8, Willamette University 1
Singles
#1 - David Miller (PLU) defeated Donovan LeDoux (WU), 6-1, 6-3
#2 - Kevin Floyd (PLU) defeated Eric MacMillan (WU), 6-1, 6-2
#3 - Jeff Loranger (PLU) defeated Fitz Paccione (WU), 6-1, 6-2
#4 - Justin Peterson (PLU) defeated Shaun Mihalick (WU), 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
#5 - Jared Vidano (PLU) defeated Micah Mack (WU), 6-4, 6-1
#6 - Tyler Ochsner (PLU) defeated Geoff Klein (WU), 6-4, 6-2
Doubles
#1 - LeDoux and MacMillan (WU) defeated Loranger and Peterson (PLU), 9-8 (7-5)
#2 - Miller and Ochsner (PLU) defeated Mihalick and Mack (WU), 8-2
#3 - Floyd and Vidano (PLU) defeated Paccione and Klein (WU), 8-4
Match #2 - Pacific Lutheran University 8, Willamette University 1
Singles
#1 - David Miller (PLU) defeated Eric MacMillan (WU), 6-2, 6-3
#2 - Kevin Floyd (PLU) defeated Donovan LeDoux (WU), 6-4, 7-5
#3 - Justin Peterson (PLU) defeated Fitz Paccione (WU), 6-3, 7-6 (10-8)
#4 - Jeff Loranger (PLU) defeated Shaun Mihalick (WU), 6-3, 6-1
#5 - Micah Mack (WU) defeated Tyler Ochsner (PLU), 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 10-5*
#6 - Jared Vidano (PLU) defeated Geoff Klein (WU), 7-5, 6-1
Doubles
#1 - Loranger and Peterson (PLU) defeated LeDoux and MacMillan (WU), 8-3
#2 - Miller and Ochsner (PLU) defeated Mihalick and Mack (WU), 8-3
#3 - Floyd and Vidano (PLU) defeated Paccione and Klein (WU), 8-1
* Tie-breaker instead of third set
Records: Willamette University, 2-4 overall, 2-3 NWC; Pacific Lutheran University, 4-3 overall, 4-1 NWC
Eric MacMillan
