Boxers Paste Portland State In Stunning Season Opening Victory

Boxers Paste Portland State In Stunning Season Opening Victory

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PORTLAND, Ore. – Pacific opened their 2014 season by giving a youth clinic and then conducted an on-court clinic of their own.
 
In their 2014 season opener, the Boxers used a tough clinching match at No. 4 singles from newcomer Grayson Frazier (Jr., La Canada, Calif.) in a stunning 5-2 victory over Portland State in men's tennis action at the St. Johns Racquet Club.
 
Pacific opened the match by taking the doubles point (doubles count at one point in Division I men's tennis), earning wins in the No. 2 and No. 3 flights.  The Boxers rolled from there as Frazier, Troy Zuroske (Sr., Richland, Wash.), Brennan Faith (Fr., Redondo Beach, Calif.) and Lorne Bulling (So., Corvallis, Ore.) all collected straight set singles victories.
 
"I couldn't be prouder of our guys," said Pacific Head Coach Brian Jackson.  "They played a great match up and down the lineup and pulled a signature win. Our doubles was very solid, and set the tone for the match. The performance of our freshmen at No. 3 was outstanding. Our transfers clinched the doubles point for us at No. 2."
 
The match was a late addition to the schedule as Pacific partnered with Portland State to host a tennis clinic for children in the Portland After School Tennis & Education (PAST&E) program prior to the match.
 
And the PAST&E College Showdown proved that anyone on any given day can be a winner.
 
The freshman combo of Josh Bernstein (Fr., Novato, Calif.) and Reuben Mulhern (Fr., Boise, Idaho) set the Boxers off of the right foot, opening the match with an 8-6 win over Nate Chart and Alex Marx at No. 3 doubles.  Faith and Frazier then secured the all-important doubles point with an 8-5 decision at No. 2 over Wil Cochrane and Jonathan Pike.
 
In the singles, it was the middle of the Boxers' ladder that got the job done.  Zuroske showed promise for a great senior season with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Cochrane in the No. 2 flight.  Faith followed with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Ian Risenhoover at No. 3 and the Boxers found themselves one match away from victory.
 
The Vikings got in the win column in a hard-fought No. 1 match as Brent Wheeler downed Giancarlo Battaglia (Jr., Sherman Oaks, Calif.), 5-6 (2-7), 6-3, 6-1.  Frazier then assured the Boxers the win, surviving a first set tiebreaker with Pike to go on to the 6-5 (8-6), 6-4 win.
 
Bulling added the Boxers' final point as he took a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Chart in the No. 6 match.
 
Pacific now heads north for their second Division I match in three days, playing at Gonzaga on Saturday.
 
ABOUT THE CLINIC: Before the match, athletes from both Portland State and Pacific conducted a clinic for participants in the Portland After School Tennis & Education (PAST&E) program.  The PAST&E program provides scholarships for at-risk youth to receive tutoring, learn academic strategies and life skills to foster self-sufficiency while learning to play tennis.  Pacific assistant coach Pete Yellico is one of the pros working with the program.

PAST&E has a 100 percent high school graduation rate in an area with a 56 percent high school graduation rate and 84 percent of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. All PAST&E participants go on to college as well.  To learn more about the program, visit pastande.org.
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