MCMINNVILLE, Ore. – Linfield ended its season on a strong note Sunday with the Wildcats' second 7-0 win of the season against the Willamette Bearcats.
Although the Wildcats were successful across the board the match was highlighted by
Rogue Stone and
Matous Young winning the final singles matches of their careers as well as Young and
Cody Pickar winning their final doubles contests.
"Well, if that wasn't just about perfect," said head coach
Todd Mansfield. "It was so great to see Rogue, Tosh and Cody all go out on a team and individual win. They have meant so much to this program. Less than a year ago, they didn't know if there would even be a team their senior year."
"They are the type of student-athletes I am always looking for. They're committed in the classroom and on the court; leaders both on and off the court and overall, just good people. "
Linfield ended the year on the upswing, finishing 2-2 over the final four matches after winning just twice in the first 13 to end the season with a 4-15 record, including a 4-10 mark against Northwest Conference opponents.
DOUBLES
Linfield quickly jumped out to an early lead with a swift clinch of the dual match doubles point.
The Wildcats posted two 6-3 wins with
Cameron Paulsen and
Matous Young beating Luca Livengood and Luca Casano at No. 2 and
Alexander Rosenquist and
Cody Pickar topping AJ Avansino and Andre Leif at No. 3.
It was the seventh win of the season for Paulsen and Young, with the duo posting a 3-2 record when playing as Linfield's No. 2 team. It was the first win for Rosenquist and Pickar as a duo, and the first for Pickar of his senior season. Young ends his senior campaign with eight doubles wins.
Willamette avoided the doubles sweep with a tiebreak win over No. 1 thanks to Zack Olander and Hudson Snyder outlasting Stone and partner
Brooks Lerfald 7-6 (7-2).
The loss came as a surprise for the Wildcats with Lerfald and Stone having won their last five matches together entering Sunday. They end the year with an 8-7 record as Linfield's No. 1 tandem and Stone finishes his career with an impressive 27 doubles wins, the 14
th most in Linfield men's tennis history.
SINGLES
Despite the unexpected loss at the top of the scorecard to end singles action Linfield came out hot to start singles and quickly add to the 1-0 lead. The Wildcats did not drop a set throughout the singles lineup.
Lerfald found himself in an early battle with Avansino in the top singles flight but managed to pull away in the second set to win handily 7-5, 6-1 for his fifth win of the year as Linfield's No. 1.
At No. 2 Stone dominated his final match for a 6-1, 6-1 win for the fifth win of his senior year and finishing his career with 15 wins.
Paulsen continued his strong play at the No. 3 spot, beating Olander 6-1, 6-3 for his third win in the final five matches of the year. At No. 4 Rosenquist beat Leif 6-3, 6-2 to finish the year with six wins.
At No. 5
Abhi Acharya earned his first win since March 24 to finish the year with five singles wins with a "double bagel" over Casano. It was his first 6-0, 6-0 win since transferring to Linfield before the 2024 season.
Young commanded the action from the opening serve in his final career match to also get a 6-0, 6-0 win at No. 6 against Jake Freeland. His final victory will go down as the first shutout win of his career, ending his senior year with three singles wins and seven in his career.
