MCMINNVILLE, Ore. – In the first match on their outdoor courts this season, the Linfield Wildcats picked up an 8-1 win over the Pacific Lutheran Lutes on Saturday afternoon.
Â
"I'm really proud of how we competed today. We've been steadily improving in singles all year, and it showed today, up and down. We set the tone early playing aggressive doubles," said coach
Ben Belletto.
Â
The Wildcats won all matches but first doubles to improve to 2-4 on the season and 2-2 in Northwest Conference play and dropped the Lutes to 2-4 overall as well. Pacific Lutheran is 1-4 in conference play.
Â
Lutes' Samuel Kwon was injured during the fourth singles match and could not continue, awarding the 'Cats'
Will Worth a win by retirement.
Â
"My first thought is for the player for the Lutes, Samuel Kwon, who suffered a tough injury. I hope he can come back strong," said Belletto.
Â
DOUBLES
The Lutes pair of Marcus Lee and Michael Campbell prevailed over the Wildcats tandem of
Michael Manion and
Cameron Ventura via a score of 8-6. Linfield's
Will Worth and
Ethan Myers defeated Branson Near and Jake Kim at second doubles.
Â
Blake Fuentes Gilbert and
Josef Shum gave Linfield a 2-1 edge after the doubles round by beating Samuel Kwon and Derek Stone at No. 3 doubles by a score of 8-0.
Â
SINGLES
Fuentes Gilbert at first singles and Ventura at third singles won their matches via a super tiebreaker in the third set. Fuentes Gilbert defeated Campbell via a score of 0-6, 7-5 and 10-7 in the third set tiebreaker. Ventura won his match over Lee by a score of 6-2, 4-6, 10-8.
Â
Manion won over Stone at No. 2 singles, 6-2, 6-0. Worth won via retirement over Samuel Kwon at fourth singles.
Â
Shum took the first set 6-2 over Near in the fifth singles match and won 7-0 in the second set tiebreaker.
Isaac Milner was victorious at sixth singles over Kim by a score of 6-4, 6-0.
Â
"Michael, Cameron and Josef gave us momentum early. Isaac overcame some early nerves, and Blake fought back from 0-6, 2-5, to win the match in a tiebreaker," said Belletto. "We showed a lot of heart and focus today."
Â
UP NEXT
Linfield heads up to Lewis & Clark on Saturday, April 10 at 11 a.m. The Wildcats and the Pioneers are scheduled for a non-conference match at the Linfield Tennis Center on Sunday, April 11.
