Kabacy, Fisher Sweep Top Singles Matches, but Bearcats Fall to Oregon State Club

By Timothy Walsh, Athletics Communications Writer

CORVALLIS, Ore. -- Willamette University won three of six singles matches, but the Oregon State University Club Team claimed victories in two of three doubles matches to defeat the Bearcats, 5-4, in an exhibition match on Saturday, Feb. 15 at the Oregon State Indoor Tennis Pavilion.

Willamette swept the top two singles spots, and added victories at #5 singles and #2 doubles.

In the #1 singles match, Andrew Kabacy (So., Vancouver, WA/Skyview HS) won a first set tie-breaker to defeat Stefan Ball 7-6 (7-4), 6-2. At #2 singles, Colin Fisher (Sr., Caldwell, ID/Thomas Jefferson Charter School) swept OSU Club's Charlie Smith 6-1, 6-3.

The Bearcats' third singles victory came when Andrew Kropp (Fy., Bend, OR/Summit HS) downed Brian Lee. Lee took the first set 7-5, with Kropp victorious 6-3 in set #2. In lieu of a third set, Kropp and Lee played a tiebreaker round, with Kropp prevailing 10-7.

Earlier in the day, Willamette scored a doubles victory when Kabacy and Quentin Nigbur (Fy., Newberg, OR/Newberg HS) defeated Matthew Chan and Isaac Goshay 8-2. Gene Perle-Jones (Sr., Eugene, OR/North Eugene HS) and Fisher nearly pulled out a second doubles victory for the Bearcats at the #1 position, but dropped a narrow match to Ball and Ryan Chin, 8-6.

Up next for Willamette is an exhibition match against Treasure Valley Community College (Ore.), on Sunday, March 1. Match time is set for 10 a.m. (PST) at the WU Tennis Courts, or at Salem Tennis and Swim Club if weather forces the match indoors. Willamette will then take on Otterbein University in a non-conference match on Tuesday, March 3, also in Salem.