Whitman WHTM-M (2-1, 2-0 NWC)

Linfield LIN-M (2-4, 2-1 NWC)

Whitman WHTM-M

(2-1, 2-0 NWC)

Final

Feb. 21, 2026

Linfield LIN-M

(2-4, 2-1 NWC)

Summary
Box Score

Kelly Bird, Linfield Sports Communications

Match Recap: Men's Tennis | 02/21 | Chase Fisk, Director of Athletic Communications

Men's tennis suffers first setback of NWC play against Whitman

McMINNVILLE, Ore. --- Linfield men's tennis (2-4, 2-1 NWC) came up short for the first time in Northwest Conference play, as the Whitman Blues (2-1, 2-0 NWC) stole the match, 7-0, inside Ad & Joan Rutschman Fieldhouse.

DOUBLES
Whitman swept the three doubles matches, starting with the No. 1 match up, as Brooke Lerfald and Zac Nakajima were unable to come back, falling 6-3. The Blues clinched the doubles point with a 6-2 win over Joey Henderson and Cameron Paulsen of the No. 2 doubles, while Alexander Rosenquist and Nick Owens dropped No. 3 doubles, 6-3.

SINGLES
Lerfald took on the Blues best in Alexander Stage on court one of the No. 1 singles match, but Stage was able to keep Lerfald from gaining momentum in set two, winning 6-1 and 6-2 in straight sets.

Whitman's third point came when Nakajima was forced to retire early from the No. 2 singles match as the first set was knotted at 3-3. The match clincher was close throughout, Henderson fell to Artem Manov 6-2 to open the game, but fought hard to take a 6-4 win and forced the only third set of the afternoon. Manov halted Henderson's hopes, taking the match 6-3 in the third set.

The Wildcats would not be shutout in any of the three remaining singles matches, where Paulsen fell 6-2 and 6-1 against Guillermo Rodriguez in No.4 singles and Rosenquist fought hard, dropping his two set 6-3.

Gavin Orozco closed out the day in No. 6 singles, overcoming a 6-1 first set loss to win four games of the second set. Whitman claimed each of the six singles matches to sweep Linfield, 7-0.

"To be the best, you have to beat the best, and we were unable to do so today." Said head coach Todd Mansfield.

"One of our goals this year is to not drop two league matches in a row, and we have a great chance to bounce back tomorrow against Whitworth and give them everything we have. I really hope to have a nice turnout from the fans, because their energy always helps us!"

Men's tennis has an opportunity to rebound tomorrow morning against the Whitworth Pirates at 11 a.m. once again inside Ad & Joan Rutschman Fieldhouse.

Print Friendly Version