FORREST GROVE, Ore. – The Whitworth men's tennis team opened Northwest Conference play with an 8-1 loss at Pacific University on Saturday.

The Pirates dropped to 0-3 overall this season and are 0-1 in the NWC.  The Boxers improved to 2-0, 1-0.

Pacific swept the three doubles matches.  Drew Adams and Chris Engelmann played the closest doubles match for Whitworth, losing to Clark Wininger and Oscar Wright 9-7 at third doubles.  Matt Goebel and Blake Miller fell 8-5 at #2 doubles.  Drew Brigham and Shane Sandlin were defeated 8-3 at #1 doubles.

Goebel scored Whitworth's only point of the match, winning 7-5, 3-6, 1-0 (11-9) at #6 singles.  It was his second singles victory of the season.

Miller forced his opponent to a tiebreak set at #3 singles.  He fell 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 (10-7) to Grayson Frazier.  Sandlin lost in two close sets at #4 singles, falling 7-6 (7-3), 7-5 to Wininger.

Whitworth will complete its NWC-opening trip to Oregon with a match at George Fox on Sunday.