SPOKANE, Wash. – Visiting Pacific handed Whitworth an 8-1 defeat in a Northwest Conference men's tennis match on Saturday afternoon.

The Boxers improved to 4-2 overall and 3-1 in the NWC.  The Pirates dropped to 3-4, 3-2.

Whitworth got its only point at #3 doubles when Blake Miller and Matt Goebel defeated Alen Suklje and Reuben Mulhern 8-4.  Pacific's Brennan Faith and Grayson Frazier beat John Talbot and Troy Patterson 8-2 at #2 doubles.  Those closest of the three doubles matches came at #1 where Giancarlo Battaglia and Troy Zuroske edged Drew Brigham and Shane Sandlin 9-7.

The Boxers quickly clinched the team win with two-set wins at #2, #3 and #5 singles.  Zuroske defeated Engelmann 6-2, 6-1 at #2, Faith beat Talbot 6-2, 6-4 at #3 and Josh Bernstein topped Sandlin 6-2, 6-2 at #5.

The three other singles matches went three sets.  Battaglia got by Brigham at #1 in a tiebreaker in the third set (6-7, 6-1, 7-6).  Frazer edged Miller 6-3, 4-6, 6-0 at #4.  The contest ended with Lorne Bulling beating Goebel 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-7) at #6.

Whitworth will play twice on Sunday - an exhibition match against CC of Spokane and then a non-conference contest against Lewis-Clark State.  Both will be at the Scotford Tennis Center.