FOREST GROVE, Ore. - In a critical battle for the fourth and final playoff position in the upcoming Northwest Conference Men's Tennis Tournament, the Pacific University Boxers leapfrogged the George Fox University Bruins with a 7-2 victory Tuesday afternoon here at the Holce Tennis Courts.

Pacific improved to 6-8 overall and 5-5 in the conference, while George Fox slipped to 6-9 overall and 5-6 in league play.  The Boxers now reside in fourth with two NWC matches left, half a game ahead of the Bruins, who are tied for fifth with Linfield College and have only one conference match left.

The Boxers jumped out to a big lead by taking all three doubles matches.  Troy Zuroske and Spencer Hing defeated Josiah Jackson and Peter Brown 9-8 (7-5) at No. 1, Michael Okada and Scott Kawamura downed Preston Mann and Justin McClain 8-5 at No. 2, and Alen Suklje and Patrick Kinghorn conquered Scott Barnett and Pax Magaway 8-4 at No. 3.

That lead proved to be too much for the Bruins to overcome as they won only two of the singles matches.  Mann edged Hing 7-5, 6-3 at No. 2 and McClain ousted Okada 6-4, 6-0 at No. 3 for the Bruins' victories.  Pacific picked up wins at No. 1 as Zuroske nipped Barnett 6-3, 7-6 (7-0); at No. 4 with Kawamura beating Brown 6-0, 7-5; at No. 5 as Suklje split with Jackson before winning 1-6, 6-4, 7-5; and at No. 6 with Derek Cooley knocking off Magaway 6-0, 6-3.

NEXT: George Fox concludes the regular season at Willamette University, the No. 2 team in the conference, Saturday at 1:00 p.m. ... Pacific finishes with two matches against Lewis & Clark College, the last-place team in the league, Friday at home at 5:00 p.m. and Saturday in Portland at 1:00 p.m.