SPOKANE, Wash. – The Whitworth men's tennis team won its third Northwest Conference match in a row, but visiting Lewis & Clark made the Pirates work hard for the 5-4 victory at the Scotford Tennis Center on Saturday afternoon.

Whitworth improved to 3-2 overall and 3-0 in the NWC, while the Pioneers fell to 1-4, 1-2.

The Pirates won two of the three doubles matches for a 2-1 lead.  John Talbot and Matt Goebel defeated Carter Gee-Taylor and Ben Sands 8-3 at #3 doubles.  Just seconds later Drew Brigham and Shane Sandlin wrapped up an 8-4 win for Whitworth at #1 doubles.  But Daniel Hahm and Morgan Joyce got the final doubles point for L&C with an 8-6 win over Troy Patterson and Blake Miller.

The Pioneers then tied the match up at 3-3 by taking the first two singles contests.  Ross defeated Chris Engelmann 6-4, 6-2 at #2, and Brewer pulled out a 6-1, 1-6, 6-4 win over Brigham at #1 singles. 

Talbot gave Whitworth the lead for good when he finished off Hahm 7-6 (4), 6-3 at #3 singles.  Sandlin followed with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Scott Monismith at #5 and Miller clinched the team win for the Bucs with a 6-4, 6-3 win at #4 over Joyce.

Gee-Taylor rallied to defeat Patterson 2-6, 7-6 (3), 1-0 (10-7) for the final L&C point at #6.

Whitworth will host George Fox on Sunday, while Lewis & Clark travels to take on nationally-ranked Whitman.