By Eric Spresser, Student Assistant Athletics Communications Director

WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- The Whitman College men's tennis team, ranked #18 in NCAA Division III by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), and ranked #4 in the West Region, defeated Willamette University, 9-0, in a Northwest Conference match on Saturday, March 12.

With the win, the Missionaries improved to 7-3 on the season and remained undefeated in the Northwest Conference at 5-0. Willamette fell to 1-5 overall, 1-4 in the NWC.

At #1 singles, Gary Ho of Whitman won the first set against Blake Brash (Sr., Boise, ID/Boise HS) of Willamette, 6-2, before claiming the second set, 6-1. Jake Hoeger won for Whitman at #2 singles, 6-2, 6-0, against Aaron Schechter (Fr., Seattle, WA/James A. Garfield HS).

In #3 singles, Nishaant Limaye downed Colin Yamaguchi (Sr./Jr., Clackamas, OR/Clackamas HS) of Willamette 6-2, 6-3. The #4 singles match featured a pair of close sets won by Jacob Christensen for Whitman over Bearcat sophomore Derek Lund (Helena, MT/Capital HS) 7-5, 7-5. 

Luke Targett won #5 singles for the Missionaries. Whitman won by default at #6 singles as Willamette was shorthanded due to injuries.

In the top doubles match, Ho and Hoeger downed Schechter and Yamaguchi 8-3. Christensen and Targett had to work hard to edge out Willamette's team of Brash and  Samuel Wexman (Sr., Tiburon, CA/Tamiscal HS) at #2 doubles, 8-4. Limaye and Trevor Fennessy of Whitman took down Lund and sophomore Jesse Mackinney (Arcata, CA/Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy) at #3 doubles, 8-1.