Willamette Men's Tennis Ends Road Trip to Texas with Loss at Hardin-Simmons

Andrew Kabacy sets up for a groundstroke as the ball appoaches. — Andrew Kabacy (Grad., Vancouver, WA/Skyview HS)

March 28, 2024

Team Stats

Game Statistics	Willamette	Hardin-Simmons
Score	0	9

Doubles

Luke Cantu / Justus Petersilie def. Kabacy, Andrew / Nigbur, Quentin 8-5
Zach Fowler / Payne Smith def. Avansino, AJ / Olander, Zack 8-3
Brandon Curiel / Jordan Oberbillig def. Lief, Andre / Casano, Luca 8-2

Singles

Justus Petersilie def. Kabacy, Andrew 6-4 , 6-3
Luke Cantu def. Mladenovic, Velibor 6-1 , 6-1
Zach Fowler def. Nigbur, Quentin 6-1 , 6-3
Payne Smith def. Avansino, AJ 6-1 , 6-4
Brandon Curiel def. Olander, Zack 6-0 , 6-1
Jordan Oberbillig def. Lief, Andre 6-0 , 6-1

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

ABILENE, Texas -- Willamette University played strong matches at #1 singles and #1 doubles, but Hardin-Simmons won those contests on its way to defeating the Bearcats, 9-0, in men's tennis on Thursday, March 28 at the Streich Tennis Center. Hardin-Simmons upped its record to 5-7. Willamette moved to 0-12 on the season.

Andrew Kabacy (Grad., Vancouver, WA/Skyview HS) of Willamette battled Justus Petersilie of the Cowboys at #1 singles. Even so, Petersilie held on for a 6-4, 6-3 win. In #1 doubles, Kabacy and Quentin Nigbur (Sr., Newberg, OR/Newberg HS) supplied quality opposition for Petersilie and Luke Cantu of HSU, but the two Cowboys won the match, 8-5.

The win at #1 doubles, helped Hardin-Simmons build a 3-0 advantage. At #2 doubles, Zack Fowler and Payne Smith defeated AJ Avansino (So., Reno, NV/Reno HS) and Zack Olander (Fy., Bend, OR/Summit HS) of WU, 8-3. In the #3 doubles competition, Brandon Curiel and Jordan Oberbillig of HSU downed Andre Lief (Jr., Anchorage, AK/West Anchorage HS) and Luca Casano (So., Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) of the Bearcats, 8-2.

Petersilie's win in singles led the Cowboys. Fowler at #3 singles and Smith at #4 singles each won the first set 6-1, before encountering increased pressure in the second set. Fowler defeated Nigbur 6-3 in the second set at #3, while Smith outscored Avansino 6-4 in the second set at #4. Also winning singles matches for Hardin-Simmons were Cantu at #2, Curiel at #5, and Oberbillig at #6.

Willamette will return to Northwest Conference action with a match against Whitman College on Sunday, March 31 in Walla Walla, Washington. The start time is set for 11 a.m. PDT.