Box ScoreWALLA WALLA, Wash. – A sweep of the doubles matches proved critical for Pacific Saturday night as the Boxers held off a valiant challenge by George Fox in the singles to win their semifinal match of the Northwest Conference Men's Tennis Championships, 5-3, at the Whitman College Tennis Courts.
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After taking all three doubles matches, the Bruins stunned the Boxers by winning the top three matches in the singles flights to tie the score. The bottom half of the ladder came through, however, as
Reuben Mulhern (So., Boise, Idaho) and
Josh Bernstein (So., Novato, Calif.) picked up wins to move Pacific into their second straight NWC Championships final.
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The Boxers (15-5) will face perennial NWC power Whitman in the final, which begins at noon on Sunday. The Missionaries swept Lewis & Clark, 5-0, in their semifinal match.  George Fox saw their season end at 14-8 overall.
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Head coach
Brian Jackson believed the key to a victory would be taking at least two of three doubles matches, and his team delivered with a sweep.Â
Brennan Faith (So., Redondo Beach, Calif.) and
Grayson Frazier (Sr., La Canada, Calif.) opened things with an 8-4 win over Spencer Watanabe and Andrew You at No. 1. Mulhern and Bernstein followed with an 8-3 victory over Vincent Viloria and Nicholas Grafton at No. 3.Â
Giancarlo Battaglia (Sr., Sherman Oaks, Calif.) and
Clark Wininger (So., San Francisco, Calif.) completed the sweep with an 8-6 win over Chace Stalcup and Chris Lilley in the No. 2 match.
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The Bruins would not go away easily, coming back to tie the match with three straight singles wins at the top of the ladder. Watanabe opened with a 6-0, 6-4 win in the No. 1 match over Battaglia. You collected a 6-3, 6-3 win over Faith at No. 2 and Lilley tied the competition with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Frazier at No. 3.Â
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Mulhern followed quickly with a win that gave the Boxers the win for good, scoring a 6-2, 6-3 win over Viloria. Bernstein closed out the match with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Mitchell Miyashiro at No. 5.
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