Willamette Men's Tennis Triumphs over Lewis & Clark, 6-3

By John Lind and Robert McKinney

SALEM, ORE -- The Willamette University men's tennis team took care of business against Northwest Conference rival Lewis & Clark College on Saturday, March 16, as the Bearcats defeated the Pioneers in a dual match, 6-3. The Bearcats upped their record to 5-6 overall, 5-4 in the NWC). L&C fell to 3-7 overall, 3-5 in the NWC.

Willamette's #1 singles player Joshua Wong (Sr.,Hilo, HI/Hilo HS) kept his undefeated streak intact for the season, besting Lewis & Clark's Kevin Ross, 6-1, 6-2. Wong improved to 9-0 in singles this spring, including 8-0 in the NWC.

Overall, the Bearcats won three of the six singles matches, as Samuel Wexman (Fr.,Tiburon, CA/Gamiscal HS) was victorious at #2 singles and Blake Brash (Fr.,Boise, ID/Boise HS) won #6 singles. Wexman defeated Carter Gee-Taylor, 6-3, 6-4. Brash downed Cole Pfeiffer, matching Wexman with a 6-3, 6-4 triumph.

The Pioneers won three singles matches, including two two decided by a super tie-breaker played instead of a third set.

At #4 singles, Scott Monismith of L&C edged Willamette's Devin Abney (So., Shoreline, WA/Shorecrest HS/Univ. of Redlands) in a match that featured three tie-breakers, 7-6 (10-8), 6-7 (9-11), 1-0 (10-5). Ryotaro Tokura of L&C won #5 singles by outlasting Jack Schreiber (So., Solana Beach, CA/The Grauer School) of WU, 6-1, 5-7, 1-0 (10-8).

The Bearcats played well in doubles, winning all three matches for a 3-0 lead in the dual. Wong and Wexman topped Ross and Daniel Hahm, 8-6, at #1 doubles. The #2 doubles match went to Will Cooper (Jr., Gresham, OR/Centennial HS) and Abney, who outscored Gee-Taylor and Monismith, 8-6.

In #3 doubles, Gunnar Lee (Fr., Hilo, HI/St. Joseph HS) and Colin Yamaguchi (Fr., Damascus, OR/Clackamas HS) of Willamette defeated Tokura and Lucas Fodor, 8-4.

Action for the Bearcats will continue on Sunday, March 24 when they open their Spring Break trip with a dual against Division I opponent Fresno State University.