Bearcats Down Pioneers, 7-2, after Sweeping Doubles

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

SALEM, ORE. -- Willamette University won all three doubles matches on its way to a 7-2 victory over visiting Lewis & Clark College in a Northwest Conference match at the Courthouse Tennis Club on Sunday, March 1. Heading the list of winners for the Bearcats were Cody Ferguson (Fr., North Bend, OR/Western Oregon University) and Micah Mack (Jr., Wenatchee, WA/Wenatchee HS), who won #1 doubles over Vincent Groot and Peter Ray, 8-4.

The overall win moved Willamette's record to 4-1 on the season, 4-1 in the NWC. Lewis & Clark dropped to 1-7 overall, 1-5 in the NWC.

Willamette's sweep of doubles included a tense finish at the #3 position. Michael Moore (So., Seattle, WA/Lakeside HS) and Jordan Helvie (So., Boise, ID/Bishop Kelly HS) built a 6-3 lead, but Andrew Moller and William "Amory" Parker cut the lead to 7-6 and eventually took an 8-7 lead. Moore and Helvie won the next game to force a tie-breaker, then won the tie-breaker, 7-3.

Lewis & Clark won #1 singles, as Groot defeated Andrew Murakami (Sr., Wahiawa, HI/University of Redlands), 7-5, 6-3. The Pioneers registered just one more win, with Parker downing Mack at #5 singles, 6-3, 6-4.

The Bearcats were victorious in straight sets at #2, #3 and #6 singles. Ferguson won at #2 over Luke Wheeler, 6-1, 6-2. Houser swept past Ray at #3 singles, 6-0, 6-0, and Moore defeated Matthias Kullowatz, 6-1, 6-4, at #6 singles.

Alex Sepenzis (Sr., Denver, CO/Cherry Creek HS) added WU's final win of the match at #6 singles. He lost the first set to Moller, but rallied to take the second set and earned a narrow victory in a super tie-breaker. Sepenzis eventually won , 4-6, 6-3, 12-10.

March 1, 2009
At Courthouse Tennis Club, Salem, Ore.

Singles
#1 - Vincent Groot (L&C) defeated Andrew Murakami (WU), 7-5, 6-3
#2 - Cody Ferguson (WU) defeated Luke Wheeler (L&C), 6-1, 6-2
#3 - Matt Houser (WU) defeated Peter Ray (L&C), 6-0, 6-0
#4 - Alex Sepenzis (WU) defeated Andrew Moller (L&C), 4-6, 6-3, 12-10*
#5 - William "Amory" Parker (L&C) defeated Micah Mack (WU), 6-3, 6-4
#6 - Michael Moore (WU) defeated Matthias Kullowatz (L&C), 6-1, 6-4

Doubles
#1 - Ferguson and Mack (WU) defeated Groot and Ray (L&C), 8-4
#2 - Murakami and Houser (WU) defeated Wheeler and Kullowatz (L&C), 8-1
#3 - Moore and Jordan Helvie (WU) defeated Moller and Parker (L&C), 9-8 (7-3)

* Tie-breaker played instead of a third set

Records:
Willamette is 4-1 overall, 4-1 in the Northwest Conference. Lewis & Clark is 1-7 overall, 1-5 in the NWC.