Wong Defeats Zuroske at #1 Singles, but Boxers Down Bearcats, 6-3

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

SALEM, ORE. -- Joshua Wong (Jr., Hilo, HI/Hilo HS) of Willamette University won a match-up of returning First Team All-Northwest Conference players at #1 singles with a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 triumph over Troy Zuroske on Saturday, Feb. 25 at the Courthouse Tennis Center, but Pacific University won the overall match, defeating the Bearcats, 6-3.

Pacific improved to 3-1 overall, 3-0 in the Northwest Conference. Willamette, which was playing its season opener, fell to 0-1, 0-1 in the NWC.

The Bearcats held a 2-1 lead after doubles.

At #1 doubles, Zuroske and Giancarlo Battaglia from Pacific rallied past Wong and Cody Ferguson (Sr., North Bend, OR/North Bend HS/Western Oregon Univ.), 8-6. Zuroske and Battaglia trailed 4-1 after five games, but won seven of the next nine games to claim the win.

WU's #2 doubles team of Garrett Vincent (So., Seattle, WA/Seattle Prep/Bellevue CC) and Devin Abney (Fr., Shoreline, WA/Shorecrest HS/U. of Redlands) also came from behind to win. Vincent and Abney trailed Spencer Hing and Scott Kawamura of Pacific, 7-6, but won the next three games to earn a 9-7 victory.

Will Cooper (So., Gresham, OR/Centennial High School) and Jack Schreiber (Fr., Solana Beach, CA/The Grauer School) of Willamette breezed through #3 doubles, 8-0, over Kolin Wing and Hector Alcayde.

Pacific rallied by winning five of six singles matches, including a pair of three-set victories.

The three-set wins were achieved at #3 singles and #6 singles. In the #3 match, Battaglia defeated Vincent, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2. Vincent played a quality second set, but Battaglia regained momentum in the third set. At #6 singles, Abney of Willamette won the first set, 6-3, but Kawamura won the second set in a tie-breaker, 7-6 (8-6). Kawamura claimed the third set, 6-2.

In the featured match at #1 singles, Wong achieved an early service break on his way to winning the first set. Zuroske placed his powerful first-serves well in the second set to even the match. Wong recovered in the third set for the win.

Willamette's next competition is set for Friday, March 2 at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Ore. The Northwest Conference match will start at 4 p.m. (PST).