Boxers Lock Up Second Place With Convincing Win Over Bruins
Box ScoreFOREST GROVE – Pacific needed a win in their final home match of the season to assure themselves the No. 2 seed in the upcoming Northwest Conference Tournament.
The Boxers did that and more Tuesday, showing great resiliency and poise in an 8-1 victory over George Fox in men's tennis action at the Holce Tennis Courts.
With the win, Pacific moved to six points in the NWC Tournament point standings, which determines seeding for the tournament on Apr. 26 and 27. The victory also moved the Boxers to 13-3 overall, 10-1 NWC.
The Bruins, who are fighting for a tournament position themselves, dropped to 9-3, 7-3 NWC. George Fox remains tied for third in the tournament point standings with Lewis & Clark at four.
"It was a great match," Head Coach
Brian Jackson said. "I am so proud of my guys in how they competed and played their best tennis when it counted.
"My hats are off to the Bruins," Jackson added. "They didn't go quietly and fought up and down the lineup. Once we felt we had them in a match, they would play their best tennis. We were just able to lock in and finish matches. I am sure they will be tough match again in a couple of weeks."
The doubles provided some hard-fought battles, but the Boxers moved through with the 3-0 advantage. Pacific's No. 1 tandem of
Troy Zuroske (Sr., Richland, Wash.) and
Giancarlo Battaglia (Jr., Sherman Oaks, Calif.) rebounded from two games down to beat Justin McClain and Chris Lilley, 9-7.
Brennan Faith (Fr., Redondo Beach, Calif.) and
Grayson Frazier (Jr., La Canada, Calif.) cruised in the No. 2 match, beating Preston Mann and Chace Stalcup 8-3.
Josh Bernstein (Fr., Novato, Calif.) and
Reuben Mulhern (Fr., Boise, Idaho) also had a close match with Mitchell Miyashiro and Nick Grafton at No. 3 before prevailing 8-5.
In No. 1 singles, Zuroske fought back from a close first-set tiebreaker loss to prevail in three sets over McClain, 6-7 (6-8), 6-4, 6-2. Battaglia went straight sets to beat Lilley at No. 2, 6-4, 6-3, while Faith held off a second set comeback by Mann to win in the No. 3 flight, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.
Bernstein had the Boxers' easiest win in the singles flights, scoring a 6-3, 6-0 win over Staclup.
Clark Wininger (Fr., San Francisco, Calif.) made it an 8-0 lead with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Miyashiro at No. 5. George Fox collected their lone win at No. 6 as Grafton beat
Alen Suklje (Jr., Beaverton, Ore.) in three sets, 6-0, 4-6, 10-7.
Jackson was proud of the work of the program's two seniors, Zuroske and Suklje, who played in their final home matches. "Troy showed his usual 'rise to the challenge' style by fighting back from a tough first set loss for the convincing win. Alen showed heart, fighting back from the 6-0 loss to once again take his match to a super tiebreaker."
Pacific will close the regular season on Friday, traveling north to face Puget Sound.
Â
