SPOKANE, Wash. – Whitworth moved into a share of first place in the Northwest Conference men's tennis standings with an 8-1 win over visiting Willamette on Friday evening at the Scotford Tennis Center.

The Pirates improved to 5-4 overall and 4-2 in the NWC, while the Bearcats fell to 3-4, 3-4.

Micah Spaun and Stefan Dernbach gave Whitworth an early lead with an 8-3 win over Devin Abney and Garrett Vincent at #2 doubles.

The other two doubles matches both went down to the wire.  Pirates Daniel Redfern and Cameron Williams pulled out an 8-5 win over Cody Ferguson and Joshua Wong at #1.  Willamette pulled within 2-1 when Will Cooper and Cameron Thompson edged John Talbot and Matt Gobel 8-6 at #3.

But that is as close as the Bearcats would get as Whitworth swept the singles matches.

Williams beat Ferguson 6-2, 6-2 at #2, followed quickly by Spaun topping Vincent 6-3, 6-1 at #3.  Then Redfern pulled out a 7-5, 6-3 win over Wong in a battle of 2011 All-NWC players, clinching the team victory for the Pirates.

Talbot came from behind to edge Cooper 3-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-7) at #4 singles.  Dernbach held off Abney 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (10-1) at #5 singles.  Ben Hamming closed out Whitworth's win with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Thompson at #6.

Whitworth will look to make it three NWC wins in a row when the Pirates host Linfield on Saturday evening.