By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Andrew Kabacy (Grad., Vancouver, WA/Skyview HS) was victorious at #1 singles, and teammates Andre Lief (Jr., Anchorage, AK/West Anchorage HS) and Luca Casano (So., Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) won at #3 doubles, but Willamette University lost to Pacific University 6-3 in a Northwest Conference men's tennis match on Friday, March 15. Lief also won at #6 singles when Lucas Fuhrmann had to retire due to injury after one game. The match was played at the Salem Tennis and Swim Club.

The Bearcats dropped to 0-9 on the season, 0-4 in the NWC. Pacific advanced its record to 3-4 overall, 2-0 in the NWC.

Kabacy won #1 singles by outscoring Joshua Matabuena of Pacific in straight sets, 6-2, 7-5. Lief was trailing 1-0 when he was credited with the win at #6 singles as Furhmann retired.

At #2 singles, Aidan Rooney of the Boxers defeated Velibor Mladenovic (So., Belgrade, Serbia/First Belgrade Grammar School), 6-3, 6-3. In a close match at #3 singles Dawson Hose of Pacific edged out Quentin Nigbur (Sr., Newberg, OR/Newberg HS) of WU, 6-4, 6-4.

Another tight match was played ast #4 singles, as Jonathan Nguyen won for Pacific, 6-4, 7-5 against AJ Avansino (So., Reno, NV/Reno HS) of the Bearcats. In the #5 singles match, Alex Kinoshita of Pacific held off Zack Olander (Fy., Bend, OR/Summit HS), 6-3, 6-4.

Pacific won #1 and #2 doubles. The #1 match was claimed by Hose and Nguyen 8-4 against Kabacy and Nigbur. At #2 doubles, Rooney and Kinoshita downed Willamette's team of Avansino and Olander, 8-3. Lief and Casano of the Bearcats prevailed at #3 doubles versus Furhmann and Ryley Chang, 8-3.

The next match for Willamette is set for Tuesday, March 26 in Wills Point, Texas, against East Texas Baptist University. Match time is set for 10:30 a.m. CDT / 8:30 a.m. PDT.