College Tennis News - Wildcats see progress in loss to Bearcats

McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Shuffling the lineup with hopes of igniting a renewed sense of urgency, the Linfield Wildcats played some of their best tennis this spring yet still fell 6-3 to the Willamette Bearcats Saturday at the Linfield Tennis Center.

“We made some position adjustments and got better energy in the heart of our lineup,” said Wildcats coach Carl Swanson.

Pairing for the first time this season, Zachery Lyons (Sr., Vancouver, Wash.) and Lukas Kleinman (Soph., Vancouver, Wash.) scored an 8-6 doubles victory in the second flight over the Bearcats’ Will Cooper and Devin Abney.

A close battle was waged at No. 3 doubles, where WU’s Mathew Dees and Gunnar Lee slipped past the Wildcat duo of Tim Hawkins (Fr., Boise, Idaho) and Ben Brewer (Soph., Lake Oswego, Ore.), 8-4. Micah Roos (Soph., Port Angeles, Wash.) and Joel Trousdale (Soph., Hillsboro, Ore.) were blanked 8-0 by the Bearcats’ Joshua Won and Sam Wexman at No. 1.

Roos found the going just as difficult in singles, where Wong delivered a 6-0, 6-0 beating in the top flight. Lyons, playing down one level, knocked off Copper, 6-4, 6-2 at No. 2.

Abney fended off Hawkins at No. 3, 6-4, 6-2, while Dees prevailed over Linfield freshman Alex Mangan (Fr., Klamath Falls, Ore.) 6-3, 7-6 (6-3). Jack Schreiber of Willamette silenced Trousdale 6-0, 6-0 at No. 5 singles.

Linfield picked up its other point at No. 6. Kleinman crafted a 6-4, 6-2 result over Lee for his first singles victory of the season.

“Zachery and Lukas were determined and focused today,” said Swanson. “Players taking responsibility at their position to get the job done in singles and doubles is the first building block of team success. Watching Zachery and Lukas play to win and to not be content with just being competitive was an encouraging step foward.”

NEXT: After playing its last five matches within the boundaries of Yamhill County, Linfield takes to the road for a lengthy trip to eastern Washington. Friday, the ‘Cats play a NWC match at Whitworth. Doubles play is set to begin at 4 p.m.