The Whitworthian

Issue date: 2/20/07 Last Updated: 8/9/07

Junior Ed Anegon serves during his match at North Park last Friday against Willamette. Anegon lost this match 6-4, 6-2 during Whitworth's 7-2 loss to the Bearcats.

Last weekend, the Whitworth men's tennis team lost two matches, first to Willamette University on Friday 7-2 and then to Linfield College on Saturday 9-0.

The Northwest Conference moved to a new nine-point scoring system in men's tennis where every match counts, as opposed to the seven-point system where one point is awarded to the team who wins two of three double matches.

"It was a definite struggle," junior Ed Anegon said. "Willamette and Linfield are teams we could beat; we've got the tools. But we had trouble winning the matches we needed to win to make it happen."

While playing Willamette last Friday, freshman Austin Abelar delivered Whitworth's only singles win, defeating Willamette's Micah Mack 6-1, 2-6, (10-8).

This match was determined by a 10-point tie-breaker instead of a full third set because the court time was limited at North Park Racquet Club. Senior Michael Carlson and junior Scott Donnell contributed a doubles win against Mack and Shaun Mihalik 8-5.

Junior Ben Works, who was the No. 2 singles player last year, played his first match of the season last Friday. However, due to his work schedule, he may only play in home matches this year.

Though the team did not win any sets last Saturday against Linfield, the match gave new team members a chance to play.

Senior Colin Storm missed the match due to illness, so junior Curran Scott, a transfer from Spokane Community College, played his first match for Whitworth, falling to the Wildcat's Cole Shelton 6-4, 6-0.

"As a whole, I think we performed better against Linfield than Willamette. But we've still got a long way to go," Carlson said. "We're a pretty young team. We have much potential, but it's early in the season and we are to some degree undeveloped."

Sophomore Scott Bourne, Whitworth's regular No. 3 player, missed the match on Friday because of the Military Ball, but was able to play on Saturday, losing to Linfield's Jed Rembold 6-1, 6-1.

"Although it was a rough weekend, I'm optimistic about the rest of the season," Carlson said. "We've dug ourselves a hole, but that means we're going to have to focus, work hard and dig ourselves out."

The Pirates will travel to Lewis & Clark and George Fox next weekend for their fourth and fifth matches of conference play.

The Pirates are looking to regroup as the team tries to conclude the season higher than the previous two seasons of fourth-place finishes.

"Next weekend will be a new weekend, the beginning of a new season for us," Anegon said. "Next weekend we will definitely assert ourselves on the road at LC and George Fox and get back on the right track."

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