WALLA WALLA, Wash. – Whitworth challenged 14th-ranked Whitman early before falling 7-2 on the road in a Northwest Conference men's tennis match on Saturday.
The Pirates dropped to 9-7 overall and 6-4 in the NWC while the Missionaries improved to 13-7, 9-1.
Whitworth pulled out two of the three doubles matches. Caleb Hughes and Shane Sandlin teamed to defeat Phillip Locklear and Petar Jivkov 9-8 at #2 doubles, while Blake Miller and Layne Ryerson edged Adam Rapoport and Alex Noyes 9-8 at #3 doubles.
Even the doubles match the Pirates dropped was close. Drew Brigham and Drew Adams fell to Whitman's Robert Carter and Jake Hoeger by only a single break at 8-5.
The conference-leading Missionaries were able to overcome the early deficit and put the match away by sweeping all six singles contests.
Locklear defeated Brigham 6-1, 6-2 at #1 singles. Miller nearly pushed Gary Ho to a third set at #2 singles, but fell 7-6, 6-2. Rapoport defeated Adams 6-3, 6-3 at #4 singles in another competitive contest.
Whitworth returns home to host Lewis-Clark State College in a non-conference contest on Sunday.
