Brash Plays in Consolation Singles Round of 16 on Second Day of Regional

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director

WALLA WALL, Wash. -- Willamette University men's tennis player Blake Brash (Sr., Boise, ID/Boise HS) competed in the Round of 16 in the consolation singles bracket of the USTA/ITA Northwest Regional Championships on Sunday, Sept. 27 at Whitman College.

Brash met 11th-seeded Rubin Mulhern of Pacific University in the Round of 16. Mulhern outlasted Brash in a pro set, 8-5. Mulhern advanced through the quarterfinals, before losing in the semifinals of the consolation singles bracket to Nishaant Limaye of Whitman College, 8-5.

In the main singles draw, the competition has reached the semifinals, which will be played on Monday, Sept. 28. Zach Hewlin of Whitman, the top seed, will take on Robert Carter of Whitman, seeded 10th, in one semfiinal. The other semifinal match will feature Spencer Watanabe from George Fox University, seeded 2nd, against Phillip Locklear of Whitman, seeded #8.

The final is the only match remaining in the doubles bracket. On Monday, Watanabe and Chris Lilly of GFU will battle against Locklear and Hewlin of Whitman for the doubles championship. In the semifinals on Sunday, Watanabe and Lilly defeated Adam Rapoport and Gary Ho of Whitman, 8-6, while Locklear and Hewlin outscored Kevin Ross and Reed Attia of Lewis & Clark, 9-7.

Watanabe and Lilly are seeded first in doubles. Locklear and Hewlin are seeded second.

Willamette will not compete again until the start of the spring season.