Bearcats Show Grit in Forest Grove Fight

Despite a three-set victory from Sohnosuke Sakaguchi, Willamette falls 6-1

March 14, 2026

Team Stats

Game Statistics	Willamette	Pacific
Score	1	6

Doubles

Jonathan Nguyen / Dawson Hose def. AJ Avansino / Hudson Snyder 6-4
Joshua Dela Cruz / Ryley Chang def. Sohnosuke Sakaguchi / Luca Casano 7-6
Steele Toguchi / Alexander Kinoshita def. Jack Hally / Jake Bronson 7-5

Singles

Alexander Kinoshita def. AJ Avansino 6-3 , 6-0
Jonathan Nguyen def. Jake Bronson 2-6 , 6-1 , 6-2
Sohnosuke Sakaguchi def. Dawson Hose 3-6 , 6-4 , 6-0
Ryley Chang def. Hudson Snyder 6-2 , 6-1
Lucas Fuhrmann def. Jack Hally 6-1 , 6-2
Steele Toguchi def. Luca Casano 7-5 , 6-2

FOREST GROVE, OR – It was a day of razor-thin margins and high-intensity rallies in Forest Grove as the Willamette Bearcats took on Pacific University. While the final 6-1 scoreline favored the Boxers, the match was defined by the relentless "never-say-die" attitude that has become the hallmark of this Willamette squad.

The afternoon's brightest highlight belonged to Sohnosuke Sakaguchi, who provided a masterclass in resilience at the No. 3 singles spot. After dropping a tough first set 3-6 to Pacific's Dawson Hose, Sakaguchi flipped the momentum entirely. He grinded out a 6-4 win in the second set to force a decider, where he absolutely took over. In a stunning display of precision and stamina, Sakaguchi blanked his opponent 6-0 in the final set to secure a hard-earned point for the Bearcats.

The drama began early in doubles play, where the Bearcats were inches away from taking the opening point. Every match was a battle of nerves:

At No. 1, AJ Avansino and Hudson Snyder pushed their opponents to the limit in a 6-4 finish.
At No. 2, Sakaguchi and Luca Casano forced a thrilling tiebreaker before narrowly falling 7-6.
At No. 3, Jack Hally and Jake Bronson went blow-for-blow in a 7-5 heartbreaker.

While the Boxers managed to sweep the doubles, the Bearcats made sure nothing came easy, proving they could go toe-to-toe with the top of the conference.

In singles play, Jake Bronson showed flashes of brilliance at the No. 2 spot, storming out to a 6-2 lead in his first set against Jonathan Nguyen. Though Nguyen managed to rally for the win, Bronson's aggressive start showed the Bearcats' potential to upset high-ranking opponents. Meanwhile, at the No. 6 spot, Luca Casano battled through a grueling 7-5 opening set, refusing to back down against Steele Toguchi.

Though the team result wasn't what the Bearcats wanted, the individual performances—particularly Sakaguchi's comeback and the near-misses in doubles—provide plenty of momentum as the team heads back to Salem.

The Bearcats will look to build on this grit as they continue their season, proving once again that regardless of the score, they are a tough out for anyone in the Northwest Conference.