BEAVERTON, Ore. - All good things, it is said,
must come to an end, and for new George Fox University men's tennis
coach Neal Ninteman, his first loss after wins in the Bruins' first
two matches of the spring 2010 season came at the hands of the
Willamette University Bearcats 8-1 late Saturday afternoon here at
the West Hills Racquet Club.
The Bruins' lone win on the day came at No. 1 singles, in which
2009 Second Team All-Northwest Conference performer Scott
Barnett ousted the Bearcats' Matthew Houser 6-0, 4-6, 1-0
(10-6). All the other singles and all three of the doubles
went to the visitors.
Willamette got going with the doubles sweep as Cody Ferguson and
Joshua Wong defeated the Munoz brothers, Pedro and Juan, 9-7 at No.
1; Michael Baumgartner and Luke Lagattuta downed Barnett and Nick
Jenness 8-3 at No. 2; and Houser and Micah Mack cruised past
Matthew Gardner and Garrett Thompson 8-1 at No. 3.
After Barnett gave the Bruins their only victory, the Bearcats
finished off the match as Baumgartner knocked off Pedro Munoz 6-2,
6-2 at No. 2; Ferguson downed Juan Munoz 6-2, 6-2 at No. 3; Wong
swept Jenness 6-0, 6-0 at No. 4; Lagattuta defeated Gardner 6-2,
6-0 at No. 5; and Mack split with Luke Pritchard 1-6, 6-3 before
winning the finale 6-0 at No. 6
The Bruins fell to 2-1 with the setback and 1-1 in NWC
play. Willamette is now 1-2 overall but 1-0 in the league.
George Fox visits Whitman College next Saturday at 2:00 p.m.
while Willamette hosts Pacific University Friday at 1:00 p.m. in
conference play.
