SANTA ANA, Calif.
– In a neutral-site Northwest
Conference men's tennis match that was the makeup of a game
originally scheduled for March 4 at the George Fox University
courts but was rained out, the Bruins dropped an 8-1 decision to
the Willamette University Bearcats Tuesday afternoon here at the
Cabrillo Country Club.
The Bearcats took a quick advantage by sweeping the
doubles. Michael Baumgartner and Matthew Houser downed the
Bruins' Scott Barnett and Preston Mann 8-3 at No. 1, Joshua
Wong and Cody Ferguson edged Josiah Jackson and Peter
Brown 8-6 at No. 2, and Will Cooper and Garrett Vincent
dropped Justin McClain and Pax Magaway 8-5 at No. 3.
Willamette had relatively little trouble in the first three
singles matches. Baumgartner beat Barnett 6-1, 6-2 at No. 1;
Wong won over Mann 6-2, 6-1 at No. 2; and Ferguson felled McClain
6-2, 6-2 at No. 3.
The remaining three singles were more difficult for the
Bearcats. At No. 4, Willamette's Houser dropped the
first set to Jackson 4-6 but was ahead 4-1 in the second when
Jackson retired, giving him the victory. Brown gave the
Bruins their only win of the day at No. 5 as he conquered Cooper
6-1, 6-3, while Vincent had to go to a third-set tiebreaker with
the Bruins' Andy Tweet at No. 6 before prevailing 6-7 (3-7),
6-2, 1-0 (12-10).
George Fox, suffering its fourth straight setback, fell to 5-6
overall and 4-3 in the conference. Willamette, currently ranked
11th in the ITA / NCAA Division III West Region, improved to 7-3
overall and 6-1 in the NWC.
NEXT: George Fox goes to Whitworth University
Sunday for a 1:00 p.m. conference contest ... Willamette visits
Lewis & Clark College Saturday for a 1:00 p.m. match.
