By: Ryan Lackey
NEWBERG, Ore. --- The Bruins arrived in Tacoma to take on Pacific Lutheran on Sunday under less than optimal conditions. Less than 24 hours after two embittered matches in California, the Bruins scored a resounding 9-0 victory over the Lutes, earning some deserved rest.
Recap:
Given the always-demanding physicality of collegiate tennis, to play three times in such rapid succession speaks volumes on both the Bruins's fitness and their desire.
"I'm teally proud of the guys' effort today," said head coach Neal Ninteman. "It's a challenge to keep the focus and energy up after a long road trip of tough matches like that. But they rejected all the possible excuses to drop their level of play and played solid and spirited tennis across the board".
Indeed, the Bruins were sharp across all three doubles matches. In the #1 match, Spencer Watanabe and Chris Lilley ran up against a solid Lutes duo of James Okubo and Alberto Leal, but Watanabe and Lilley cruised to an 8-4 win. Nicholas Grafton and Vincent Viloria sailed past Jeremy Marsh and Noel Oteng-Mensah, 8-1. In the #3 match, Mitchell Miyashiro and Tristen Lerma defeated Justin deMattos and DJ Pekoc, 8-2.
Watanabe competed his excellent day with a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Okubo in the #1 singles match. In the #2 match against Marsh, Chris Lilley eked out a win in the tough first set, 7-5, and also took the second, 6-2. Grafton beat Oteng-Mensah 6-3, 6-1 in the #3 match. In the #4 match, Viloria was in top form, winning 6-2, 6-0 over Pekoc. Miyahiro defeated deMattos in the #5, 6-1, 6-2. Ekern did almost as well in the #6, beating Chan Thourk 6-2, 6-2.
What It Means:
The Bruins improve to 5-6 overall and slip over .500 in conference, going to 3-2.
What Comes Next:
The Bruins host Whitworth on Apr. 2.