WALLA WALLA, Wash. – Whitworth could not get anything going against 9th-ranked Whitman on Saturday, falling 9-0 to the league-leading Missionaries at the Bratton Tennis Center.
Whitman, also ranked 1st in the West Region, improved to 16-3 overall and 9-0 in the NWC. The Pirates fell to 8-6, 5-3, but still have a good chance to secure a spot in the season-ending NWC tournament.
The Missionaries swept the doubles matches, then won all six of the singles matches in straight sets.
Dustin McConnell, who joined the Pirate tennis team late after a successful season with the Whitworth basketball team, played 2011 NWC Player of the Year Connor Holton-Burke very well. He fell 6-4, 6-2.
Andrew LaCava beat Daniel Redfern 6-3, 6-2 at #1 singles in a match-up of First Team All-NWC honorees from 2011.
Whitworth will play at Willamette (Friday) and Linfield (Saturday) in a pair of important conference matches next weekend.
