SALEM, Ore. – The Whitworth men's tennis team closed the 2021 season with a 5-4 win at Willamette, rallying from behind after doubles.

The Pirates, who started the season 0-6 against a very difficult non-conference schedule, conclude the season 6-12.  The Bearcats finish 0-13.

Willamette was hoping to avoid a winless season and the Bearcats got within a point of pulling it off.

Kincaid Norris and Cameron Brewer got the Pirates' first doubles point with an 8-3 win at #2.  Meanwhile, Jonathan Hutley and Nathan Tjelle won in a tiebreaker 7-4 over Luke Hiserman and Jordan Megiveron at #3 doubles.  Ethan Violette and Brenden Archer lost 8-6 to Willamette's Andrew Kabacy and Gene Perle-Jones at #1 doubles. 

Willamette got three of the first four singles decisions to take a 4-3 lead.  Norris was the only winner for the Bucs in that stretch with a 6-2, 6-3 victory at #2 singles.  Tjelle tied the match 4-4 with a 6-4, 7-5 win at #3 singles and Ethan Warring clinched the team victory with a 7-6 (6), 6-0 win at #4 singles.