VANCOUVER, Wash. – Playing what head
coach Neal Ninteman called “one of our slickest and most
polished performances ever”, the George Fox University Bruins
opened the Northwest Conference portion of their 2013-14
men's tennis season with a 9-0 drubbing of the Pacific
Lutheran University Lutes Friday night here at the Club Green
Meadows.
The Bruins swept through the doubles as Justin McClain and Chris
Lilley, the NCAA Division III West Region's No. 11 duo, took
an 8-6 win over the Lutes' Sam Angel and Neal Berg 8-6 at No.
1, Preston Mann and Chace Stalcup stopped James
Okubo and Jake Yannello 8-3 at No. 2, and Mitchell Miyashiro and
Nick Grafton edge Spencer Herron and Sam Stadter 8-6 at No. 3.
In singles, it was McClain over Angel 6-1, 6-0 at No. 1; Lilley
over Stadter 6-1, 6-2 at No. 2; Mann over Yannello 6-1,6-2 at No.
3; Stalcup over Okubo 6-3, 6-2 at No. 4; Grafton over Berg 7-5, 6-3
at No. 5; and Miyashiro over Brandon Bulaclac 5-7, 6-1, 1-0
(10-8). Miyashiro suffered from double cramps at one stage of
his match but finished strong in the down-to-the-wire third set
tiebreaker.
“We had very solid play up and down the lineup in one of
our most dominating performances,” observed Ninteman.
“I thought co-captains Preston and Chace set the tone for us
with their strong doubles win at No. 2, and we fought for some
tough wins at Nos. 1 and 3 doubles. I was especially proud of
Nick at No. 5 singles, picking up his first singles win in a
college match.”
NEXT: George Fox (1-1, NWC 1-0) will host Lewis
& Clark College Sunday at the Stafford Hills Tennis Club in
Tualatin, Ore., beginning at 11:30 a.m. … Pacific Lutheran
(0-1, NWC 0-1) plays Saturday at Lewis & Clark College at 1:00
p.m.