SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University swept all six singles matches and won two of three doubles matches, as the Bearcats defeated George Fox University, 8-1, in Northwest Conference men's tennis action at the Courthouse Tennis Club on Friday, Feb. 29. Willamette upped its record to 2-4 on the season, 2-3 in the NWC. George Fox dropped to 0-6, with every loss occurring in conference play.
The match was moved indoors Friday night due to rain during the afternoon. Willamette claimed an early 2-1 lead by winning #1 and #2 doubles.
In the #1 doubles match, WU's Andrew Murakami (Jr., Waihawa, HI/U. of Redlands) and Micah Mack (So., Wenatchee, WA/Wenatchee HS) improved to 4-2 overall (4-1 NWC) with an 8-3 win over Ralf Schulz and Mac Ovenell. At #2 doubles, Eric MacMillan (Sr., Twin Falls, ID/Twin Falls HS) and Matthew Houser (Fr., Vancouver, WA/Evergreen HS) of Willamette combined to defeat Jordon Vargas and Billy Johnson, 8-4.
GFU's only win came at #3 doubles. Nick Jenness and Shawn McKenzie recorded the victory for the Bruins by defeating Shawn Mahmood (Fr., Gresham, OR/Mount Hood CC) and Nathan Ramos (Fr., Beaverton, OR/Beaverton HS), 8-4.
The Bearcats breezed through the singles matches, recording six straight-set wins and dropping only 11 games during the 12 sets. At #1 singles, MacMillan of WU defeated Schulz, 6-0, 6-1. Houser triumphed at #2 singles for the 'Cats, as he downed Ovenell, 6-2, 6-2.
Willamette plays at home again on Saturday, March 1, when the Bearcats will host on Lewis & Clark College. Due to Friday's rain, plus the expectation of additional rain on Saturday, the match has been moved indoors and will start at the Courthouse Tennis Club at 1 p.m. (PST).
Friday, Feb. 29, 2008
At Courthouse Tennis Club, Salem, Ore.
Willamette University 8, George Fox University 1
Singles
#1 - Eric MacMillan (WU) defeated Ralf Schulz (GFU), 6-0, 6-1
#2 - Matthew Houser (WU) defeated Mac Ovenell (GFU), 6-2, 6-2
#3 - Fitz Paccione (WU) defeated Nick Jenness (GFU), 6-0, 6-1
#4 - Alex Sepenzis (WU) defeated Jordon Vargas (GFU), 6-2, 6-0
#5 - Geoff Klein (WU) defeated Billy Johnson (GFU), 6-0, 6-1
#6 - Micah Mack (WU) defeated Shawn McKenzie (GFU), 6-0, 6-2
Doubles
#1 - Andrew Murakami and Micah Mack (WU) defeated Schulz and Ovenell (GFU), 8-3
#2 - MacMillan and Houser (WU) defeated Vargas and Johnson (GFU), 8-4
#3 - Jenners and McKenzie (GFU) defeated Shawn Mahmood and Nathan Ramos (WU), 8-4
Records: Willamette is 2-4 overall, 2-3 in the NWC; George Fox is 0-6 overall, 0-6 in the NWC
Eric MacMillan won #1 singles over GFU's Ralf Schulz, 6-0, 6-1.
