Willamette Men's Tennis Defeats U of O Club Team in Exhibition, 7-2

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

SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University men's tennis team downed the University of Oregon Club team in an exhibition match, 7-2, at the Courthouse Tennis Club on Saturday, Feb. 12. Willamette won five singles matches and two doubles matches to achieve the overall victory.

Willamette, which finished last season with a 13-8 overall record, will open its 2011 regular season on Saturday, Feb. 19 at Whitworth University in Spokane, Wash., at 12 p.m. (PST).

WU's regular season home opener is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 21 against Whitman College at 1 p.m. (PST). The match will be played at the WU Tennis Courts if the weather permits.

In doubles play, Willamette won the #1 and #3 positions, while the U of O Club prevailed in the #2 match.

Cody Ferguson (Jr., North Bend, OR/North Bend HS/Western Oregon Univ.) and Michael Baumgartner (So., Albany, OR/West Albany HS) teamed up to win the top doubles match, 8-3, over Mark Leckband and Chris Jazwa. WU's victory at #3 doubles was earned by Joshua Wong (So., Hilo, HI/Hilo HS) and Garrett Vincent (Fr., Seattle, WA/Seattle Prep/Bellevue CC), as they defeated Brad Fisher and Rene Kaza, 8-3.

Walt James and Andres Chong won #2 doubles for the U of O Club, 8-3, versus Matt Houser (Sr., Vancouver, WA/Evergreen HS) and Will Cooper (Fr., Gresham, OR/Centennial HS).

Ferguson easily won #1 singles over Fisher, 6-1, 6-1, while Wong claimed a 6-3, 6-1 victory for Willamette against Colt Hoeptner at #2 singles. The remaining singles matches were closely contested, but all were decided in straight sets.

Houser of Willamette and Kaza from the U of O Club played the only tie-breaker of the day at #4 singles after splitting their first 12 games in the opening set. Houser won the set, 7-6, by outscoring Kaza 7-4 in the tie-breaker. Houser took the second set, 6-4.

Jazwa recorded the only singles win for the U of O Club in the #5 match. He outlasted Cooper, 6-4, 7-5.

The University of Oregon Club team is the top collegiate club team in the Pacific Northwest.

Saturday, February 12

At Courthouse Tennis Club, Salem, Ore.
Willamette University 7, University of Oregon Club 2 (Exhibition)

Singles

#1 - Cody Ferguson (WU) defeated Brad Fisher (UO Club), 6-1, 6-1
#2 - Joshua Wong (WU) defeated Colt Hoeptner (UO Club), 6-3, 6-1
#3 - Michael Baumgartner (WU) defeated Walt James (UO Club), 6-4, 6-4
#4 - Matt Houser (WU) defeated Rene Kaza (UO Club), 7-6 (7-4), 6-4
#5 - Chris Jazwa (UO Club) defeated Will Cooper (WU), 6-4, 7-5
#6 - Garrett Vincent (WU) defeated Mark Leckband (UO Club), 7-5, 6-4

Doubles
#1 - Ferguson and Baumgartner (WU) defeated Leckband and Jazwa (UO Club), 8-3
#2 - James and Andres Chong (UO Club) defeated Houser and Cooper (WU), 8-3
#3 - Wong and Vincent (WU) defeated Fisher and Kaza (UO Club), 8-3