Fisher and Perle-Jones Win First Round Doubles Match at ITA Regional

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

NEWBERG, Ore. -- Willamette University men's tennis players Colin Fisher (Sr., Caldwell, ID/Thomas Jefferson Charter School) and Gene Perle-Jones (Sr., Eugene, OR/North Eugene HS) won their first round match in the championship doubles bracket at the ITA Northwest Regional on Saturday, Sept. 21. Fisher and Perle-Jones defeated Hampus Eliason and Branson Near of Pacific Lutheran University, 8-4. John Carter and Kai Strawn of Whitman College downed Fisher and Perle-Jones, 8-3, in the round of 16.

The Bearcats dropped four matches in the first round of the championship singles bracket. Rayden Murata of Pacific University, one of eight players seed #9 through #16, outlasted Andrew Kabacy (So., Vancouver, WA/Skyview HS) in a close battle, 7-5, 6-4. Rox Rogers of George Fox University, one of four players seeded #5 through #8, downed Quentin Nigbur (Fy., Newberg, OR/Newberg HS), 6-0, 6-0. Gasrrett Katayam of Pacific defeated Perle-Jones, 6-3, 6-2, while Joey Balloweg of Pacific held off Fisher, 6-4, 6-2.

Kabacy and Nigbur each picked up a win in the consolation singles bracket. Kabacy shut out Ben Behards of Whitworth University, 8-0. Nigbur rolled past Rene Del Barco from University of Puget Sound, 8-1. In the consolation round of 16 on Sunday, Kabacy will take on Shayne Lynette from Lewis & Clark College and Nigbur will meet Sam Watt of GFU. Both matches are scheduled to start at 10 a.m. (PDT).

In the first round of consolation doubles, Kabacy and Nigbur edged out Kosta Garger and Reiley Hyun from Puget Sound, 8-7. In the consolation quarterfinals, Kabacy and Nigbur will compete against Tom Change and Aidan Schutter of Whitman at 5:15 p.m. on Sunday.

Matches at the ITA Northwest Regional are being held at George Fox's indoor and outdoor courts and also at the Laurel Ridge Country Club in Sherwood, Oregon. Action will continue through Monday, Sept. 23. The annual tournament is sponsored by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA).