MTEN: GEORGE FOX 9, HOPE INT’L 0 - Bruins Blank Royals To Post Back-to-Back Shutouts

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. - Posting their second straight shutout on the second day of their spring break California trip, the George Fox University Bruins knocked off the Hope International University Royals 9-0 in a non-conference men’s tennis match Friday afternoon here at the courts of the Ironwood Country Club.

The match was originally scheduled for Sunday in Fullerton, Calif., where HIU is located, but the Royals asked to move the game due to a scheduling conflict.

Matthew Gardner and Luke Pritchard got the Bruins going with an 8-5 victory over the Royals’ Gregory Cobian and Christian Booher at No. 1 doubles.  Josh Williford and Garrett Thompson knocked off Henry Valiente and Jerry Laureano by that same 8-5 score at No. 2, and Chris Schoon and Ryan Scheidler completed the doubles sweep with an 8-1 triumph over Justin Sutherlin and Nathan Deghi.

At No. 1 singles, Nick Jenness took out Cobian 6-2, 6-2; Juan Munoz cruised past Valiente 6-3, 6-0 at No. 2; Williford dispatched Laureano 6-3, 6-3 at No. 3; Schoon shut out Sutherlin 6-0, 6-0 at No. 4; Thompson had to go three sets with Booher at No. 5 but persevered in a tight one 6-2,5-7, 1-0 (10-8); and Scheidler completed the Bruins’ back-to-back sweep with a 7-5, 6-3 decision over Deghi at No. 6.

“One of the things I wanted to do on this trip was give some of our players who had not seen much action during conference matches a chance to get on the court and see what they could do against real competition,” noted first-year George Fox coach Neal Ninteman.  “Our young guys acquitted themselves quite nicely each of the last two days and played some fine tennis.” 

The Bruins will be off Saturday but plan to stick around Indian Wells, where they will get a chance to watch some of the action in the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, the first of nine elite ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments this year.  Among the matches they hope to catch are Rafael Nadal vs. Ivan Ljubicic and Andy Roddick vs. Robin Soderling.

George Fox (5-8) returns to the courts Sunday at Chapman University for a 6:00 p.m. match, then concludes its trip Tuesday at Biola University at 2:00 p.m.  Hope International (0-12) plays Saturday at Vanguard University at 11:00 a.m.