Willamette Set to Open Conference Play on Sunday against Lewis & Clark

By Evan Giddings, Student Assistant Athletics Communications Director

SALEM, ORE. -- This weekend, the Willamette University men's tennis team will host Lewis & Clark College in the Bearcats' first Northwest Conference match of the season. Match time is set for 11 a.m. (PST) on Sunday, Mar. 1 at the Courthouse Tennis Center (1379 Madisonn St. NE).

So far, the Bearcats have only played one match this spring, more than a month ago when they took on Lewis-Clark State College (Idaho) on Jan. 23 and fell to the Coyotes by a score of 8-1.

The only match won by WU came from #2 doubles duo Gunnar Lee (Jr., Hilo, HI/St. Joseph HS)and Jacob Blaisdell (Fr., Honolulu, HI/Punahou School), who bested the Warriors, 8-6.

This weekend, playing #1 doubles for the 'Cats will be likely be Sam Wexman (Jr., Tiburon, CA/Tamiscal HS) and Shrujan Kalidindi (Jr., Cupertino, CA/Monta Vista HS). Willamette's #3 doubles team against Lewis-Clark State included Blake Brash (Jr., Boise, ID/Boise HS) and Derek Lund (Fr., Helena, MO./Helena HS).

As for the singles lineup last month, Wexman played #1, followed by Jack Schreiber (Sr., Solana Beach, CA/The Grauer School) playing #2, with Lee playing #3. Last season, Schreiber was named Second Team All-NWC after pickingup five victories in singles competition.

In the last three singles positions against LCSC, Blaisdell played #4, while Brash played #5, andKalidindi competed at #6 for Willamette.

Lewis & Clark is currently 2-0 in conference action and 2-1 overall. Last weekend, the Pioneers bested University of Puget Sound, 9-0, and Pacific Lutheran University, 8-1.

Michael Brewer (So.) will play #1 singles for L&C after achieving a 9-5 singles record last season and being named First Team All-NWC. Kevin Ross will play # 2 singles and was named Second Team All-NWC after recording a 10-6 singles record last spring.

Rounding out the singles lineup for the Pioneers will likely be Daniel Hahm as #3, Joyce Morgan playing #4, Harrison Collins at #5, and Gordon Barrows finishing as #6.

The doubles teams for Lewis & Clark will probably include Joyce and Barrows playing #1, with Brewer and Ross playing #2, and Hahm and Collins playing #3.