Willamette Wins Five Singles matches to Defeat Puget Sound, 6-3

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

TACOMA, WASH. -- The University of Puget Sound won two of the three doubles matches, but Willamette University gained victories in five of six singles matches, as the Bearcats rallied past the Loggers for a 6-3 win in Northwest Conference men's tennis action on Saturday, April 6.

Will Cooper (Jr., Gresham, OR/Centennial HS) and Devin Abney (So., Shoreline, WA/Shorecrest HS/Univ. of Redlands) provided three of Willamette's wins. They combined for a triumph at #2 doubles against Daniel Deuel and Jake Peterson of Puget Sound, 8-4. In singles, Cooper took the #3 match from Deuel, 6-3, 6-4, while Abney downed Peterson in the #4 match, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4).

WU senior Joshua Wong (Sr., Hilo, HI/Hilo HS) won #1 singles, 6-1, 6-4, over Michael Cutter of UPS. Wong upped his record this spring to 12-1 overall, 9-0 against NWC opponents.

The Loggers owned a 2-1 lead after winning #1 and #3 doubles, but when the action moved to singles, Willamette gradually surged into the lead.

In the #1 doubles match, Willamette's team of Wong and Sam Wexman (Fr., Tiburon, CA/Tamiscal HS) played a very close match with Cutter and Graham Baker, before the team from UPS prevailed in a tie-breaker, 9-8 (7-3). At #3 doubles, Michael Tieu and John Stevens of UPS defeated Gunnar Lee (Fr., Hilo, HI/St. Joseph HS) and Colin Yamaguchi (Fr., Damascus, OR/Clackamas HS), 8-5.

The wins by Wong, Cooper and Abney helped Willamette claim the team victory, as did successful matches by Jack Schreiber (So., Solana Beach, CA/The Grauer School) and Lee. Schreiber took the #5 singles match against Abe Noyes in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3. Lee won #6 singles over Stevens, 6-3, 6-4.

Puget Sound's only win in singles was recorded by Baker at the #2 position, as he edged out Wexman in third-set tie-breaker, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7-5). It was the only three-set match of the day.

Willamette upped its record to 6-9 on the season, while improving to 6-4 in the NWC. The Loggers fell to 2-12 overall, 1-9 in the NWC.

The Bearcats will host Linfield College in Willamette's final home match of the season on Friday, April 12. Match time at the Willamette University Tennis Courts is set for 4 p.m. (PDT).