Wong Advances to Round of 16 at USTA/ITA Northwest Championships

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

BEAVERTON, ORE. -- Willamette University tennis player Joshua Wong (Sr., Hilo, HI/Hilo HS) has advanced into the Round of 16 after winning his first two singles matches during the USTA/ITA Northwest Small College Championships on Saturday, Sept. 22 at the Tualatin Hills Parks & Recreation Tennis Center.

Wong, the #2 seed in the overall bracket, will take on Sam Sadeghi of Whitman College, tied for the #9 seed, when action resumes on Sunday, Sept. 23 at 10 a.m. (PDT).

In Saturday's first round match, Wong downed Noah Lee from Whitman in two close sets, 6-4, 6-4. Wong defeated Zach Lyons of Linfield in the second round, 6-2, 6-1.

Also for Willamette, freshman Sam Wexman won his first match, as he edged out Drew Brigham of Whitworth in the first set, 7-5, before rolling to a 6-0 win in the second set. Steven Roston of Whitman, tied for the #13 seed, defeated Wexman, 6-1, 6-3 in the second round.

Shrujan Kalidindi and Colin Yamaguchi of Willamette earned an 8-6 victory over Sam Angel and Mitch Yannello of Pacific Lutheran University in the first round of doubles. Kalidindi and Yamaguchi fell to Chris Lilley and Justin McClain of George Fox University, 8-2 in the Round of 16.

The Willamette doubles team of Will Cooper (Jr., Gresham, OR/Centennial HS) and Matt Dees (Fr.), also won its first match, edging out Luke Olsen and Jake Yannello, 8-6. In the Round of 16, Shawn Aldrich and Preston Mann of George Fox defeated Cooper and and Dees in a tie-breaker, 9-8.