By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

WILLS POINT, Texas -- Andrew Kabacy (Grad., Vancouver, WA/Skyview HS) of the Willamette University men's tennis team won #1 singles against Sam Black of East Texas Baptist University, as he grabbed the first set 6-4 before easily taking the second set 6-0, on Tuesday, March 26 at the Wills Point High School Courts. ETBU defeated the Bearcats in the overall match, 8-1. The Tigers improved to 10-4 on the season, while Willamette fell to 0-10.

Kabacy continued his strong play in singles and doubles. In #1 doubles on Tuesday, he combined with Quentin Nigbur (Sr., Newberg, OR/Newberg HS) to offer a solid challenge to Black and Max Karseno of ETBU, before the Tigers duo prevailed, 8-4. Kabacy has won five of his last six singles matches, including four in a row, losing only to Seth Lee of Linfield in a super tie-breaker played instead of a third set on March 2.

At #2 doubles, Jacob Daniell and Erick Van Zyl of ETBU downed AJ Avansino (So., Reno, NV/Reno HS) and Zack Olander (Fy., Bend, OR/Summit HS) of WU, 8-3, The #3 doubles match was won by ETBU's Slade Austin and Zachary Couch, who defeated Luca Casano (So., Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) and Andre Lief (Jr., Anchorage, AK/West Anchorage HS), 8-1.

The #3 and #4 singles matches both included a highly-competitive second set. Couch at #3 and Austin at #4, each won their first set 6-1. Avansino at #3 and Olander at #4 fought back for Willamette in the second set, but both fell by 7-5 scores.

Karseno took #2 singles for the Tigers, as he held off Nigbur in the first set, 6-3, and claimed the second set, 6-1. Orren Ladner of ETBU outscored Trey Allen (Jr., Tucson, AZ/BASIS Tucson North HS) of WU in the first set at #5 singles, 6-3, then won the second set, 6-0. Daniell defeated Lief of Willamette at #6 singles, 6-2, 6-2.

The Bearcats will play McMurry University on Wednesday, March 27 in Abilene, Texas. Match time is set for 10 a.m. CDT / 8 a.m. PDT.