Eastern Washington Defeats Willamette in Men's Tennis, 6-0

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

SALEM, ORE. -- Eastern Washington University from NCAA Division I defeated Willamette University from NCAA Division III, 6-0, on Thursday, Jan. 16 at the Courthouse Tennis Center, in the season opener for both teams. EWU moved to 1-0 on the season, while Willamette fell to 0-1.

The match was played indoors and was scored using the Division I format, in which the team winning at least two of the doubles matches receives one point. An additional point is earned for each win in singles.

Eastern Washington claimed the doubles point, but two of the matches were decided by just two games each. The Eagles gained their strongest doubles win in the #1 match, as Robert Dula and Eduardo Bringold downed Devin Abney (Jr., Shoreline, WA/Shorecrest HS/Univ. of Redlands) and Will Cooper (Sr., Gresham, OR/Centennial HS) of WU, 6-1.

At #2 doubles, the EWU team of Luke Ness and Stefan Farrar outlasted Sam Wexman and Gunnar Lee, 6-4. The #3 doubles match was won by Luke Thompson and Aaron Lince, 6-4, over Willamette's team of Blake Brash (So., Boise, ID/Boise HS) and Shrujan Kalidindi (So., Cupertino, CA/Monta Vista HS).

Dula of Eastern Washington prevailed at #1 singles over Wexman, 6-1, 6-0. Bringold of EWU downed Abney, 6-1, 6-2.

The tightest singles match of the evening was at the #5 position, where Ness edged out Lee in two close sets, 6-4, 6-4.

Also winning for EWU were Matt Boyle at #4 singles and Farrar at #6 singles. The overall match was ended before the #3 singles match started.

Willamette's next competition is set for Sunday, Feb. 9 in an exhibition match against the University of Oregon Club team in Eugene, Ore. The match will be played at the Eugene YMCA starting at 12 p.m. (PST).