WALLA WALLA, Wash. – Playing the top team in the Northwest Conference, the Linfield Wildcats fell 9-0 to the undefeated Whitman Blues at the Whitman Outdoor Courts on Saturday.
The loss drops the Wildcats to 1-4 on the season and 1-2 in conference play. The Blues are now a perfect 5-0 and 3-0 in the NWC.
"We competed well today, in doubles and with guys stepping up into the lineup," said coach
Ben Belletto.
DOUBLES
Jack Freer and Andreas Mueller-Immergluck advanced at first doubles over Linfield's pair of
Michael Manion and
Cameron Ventura, 8-2.
Will Worth and
Ethan Myers fell in a tiebreaker, 7-1 to Bear Lee and John Carter at second doubles. Linfield had a chance to win the match as the Wildcats were on serve at match point at 7-6, but the Blues charged back to win.
Aidan Schutter and Aaron Yuan came out victorious over the Wildcats tandem of
Blake Fuentes Gilbert and
Josef Shum at third doubles, 8-5.
SINGLES
At the top singles spot, Mueller-Immergluck defeated Fuentes Gilbert by a score of 6-3, 6-1. Schutter downed Manion, 6-3, 6-1 at second singles. Ventura lost 6-0, 6-0, to Chang at No. 3 singles spot.
Josef Shum stepped up to play Freer at fourth singles, but fell 6-1, 6-1. Due to a late lineup switch,
Isaac Milner played fifth singles and pushed his match to the third set by winning the second set, 6-3. His opponent, Lee won the first set, 6-2 and the deciding set, 6-0.
Ben O'Loughlin made his season debut by playing at the last singles spot, but lost to Matthew Biggi by a score of 6-3, 6-0.
"Isaac moved from out of the lineup to 5 singles and played great, just kind of ran out of gas. It was a great experience for Isaac and Ben today and that will help us down the line," added Belletto.
UP NEXT
Linfield is off next weekend before hosting Pacific Lutheran on April 3 at 1 p.m. at the Linfield Tennis Center.
