By: Ryan Lackey

WALLA WALLA, Wash. --- The Bruins wrapped up an epoch-defining season on Saturday afternoon, losing the NWC tournament semifinal against Pacific, 5-3. Though their year ended just a little earlier than they would've liked, the Bruins have much to take pride in after putting together a 14-8 season, culminating a long, multiyear process of advancement and improvement.

The Boxers and the Bruins split the singles matches evenly, 3-3. In the #1 match, the Bruins' Spencer Watanabe played on a higher plateau than Giancarlo Battaglia, winning 6-0, 6-4. Pacific's Grayson Frazier made Chris Lilley work a little harder in the #2 match, but the Bruins' man won the day, 6-2, 6-4. Andy You was consistent and fluid in the #3 match, defeating Brennan Faith 6-3, 6-3 to give the Bruins a sweep of the top three.

In the #4 singles, George Fox's Nick Grafton played Clark Wininger in the day's most exciting match, which went 7-6 (7-5), 5-6 before play was suspended.

Mitchell Miyashiro played well across both sets during the #5 match cut came up just short, losing to Josh Bernstein 6-4, 6-4. Pacific's Reuben Mulhern defeated Vincent Viloria 6-3, 6-3.

The doubles, though, were more disappointing for the Bruins. The #1 doubles match was hotly contested, but Pacific's duo of Faith and Frazier got their shots to fall, defeating You and Watanabe, 8-4. Chace Stalcup and Lilley came within a hairsbreadth of defeating Battaglia and Oscar Wight, but the Bruins lost narrowly again, 8-6. Viloria and Grafton put up a good fight in the #3, but Pacific took the match 8-3.

The loss ends the Bruins' season, but the vector of the program is always pointing up, up – what heights are possible next season, no one yet knows.