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Men's Tennis

GEORGE FOX 5, PAC LUTHERAN 0: Bruins Return to NWC Finals by Eliminating Lutes

WALLA WALLA, Wash. – For the second year in a row, George Fox University will try to knock off the nationally-ranked Whitman College Missionaries after the Bruins advanced to the finals of the Northwest Conference Men's Tennis Tournament with a 5-0 win over the Pacific Lutheran University Lutes Saturday evening here at Whitman's outdoor courts.

George Fox (14-4) will take on Whitman (17-6), which eliminated the Pacific University Boxers 5-0 in the other semi-final match Saturday afternoon, Sunday at 12:00 noon for the conference crown and the automatic bid to the NCAA Division III National Tournament which goes with winning the NWC Tournament.  The Bruins and Missionaries met in last year's title match, with Whitman winning 5-0. Whitman is ranked No. 15 in the nation this year and No. 5 in the West Region, while George Fox is No. 10 in the West.  PLU, which finished with an 11-8 record, was No. 14 in the West.

In Saturday's play, the Bruins opened the match by taking the No. 1 and No. 3 doubles with relative ease, but had to go to the wire for the No. 2 win.  At No. 1, Justin McClain and Shawn Aldrich claimed an 8-1 victory over Jason Bower and Taylor Dickey, while Preston Mann and Drew Milton handled Mitch and Jake Yannello 8-4 at No. 3.  Chris Lilley and Peter Brown were pushed to the very end by Luke Olson and Sam Angel before prevailing 9-8 (7-2) at No. 2.

Up 3-0, the Bruins needed only two more matches to secure the semi-final win.  Aldrich defeated Angel 6-3, 6-1 at No. 3, and Mann topped Mitch Yannello 6-1, 6-4 at No. 4 to finish off the Bruins' triumph.

Matches 1 and 2 went unfinished, while 5 and 6 never started.  At No. 1, McClain took the first set from Bower 6-2 but was trailing 5-4 in the second when play was halted.  At No. 2, Lilley had won the first set 6-1 and the second was knotted 5-5 when the Bruins completed the win.

George Fox's win extended its record for the most wins in a season; the previous record had been 11, set last year.

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Players Mentioned

Shawn Aldrich

Shawn Aldrich

5' 8"
Senior
R
Peter Brown

Peter Brown

5' 11"
Senior
R
Preston Mann

Preston Mann

5' 9"
Junior
R
Justin McClain

Justin McClain

6' 0"
Junior
R
Drew Milton

Drew Milton

5' 8"
Senior
R

Players Mentioned

Shawn Aldrich

Shawn Aldrich

5' 8"
Senior
R
Peter Brown

Peter Brown

5' 11"
Senior
R
Preston Mann

Preston Mann

5' 9"
Junior
R
Justin McClain

Justin McClain

6' 0"
Junior
R
Drew Milton

Drew Milton

5' 8"
Senior
R
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