WALLA WALLA, Wash. – Whitworth University fell 8-1 at Whitman College in both schools' Northwest Conference men's tennis opening match on Friday afternoon.

The visiting Pirates (0-8 overall, 0-1 NWC) remain winless this season.  The Blues (2-6, 1-0) picked up their second victory.

Whitman swept the three doubles points, but not before Ethan Violette and Joe Greco nearly pulled out a victory at #1 doubles before falling 8-7 to John Carter and Kai Strawn.  Whitworth's Nathan Tjelle and Payton Romey fell 8-1 at #2 doubles, while Ethan Warring and Cameron Brewer lost 8-2 at #3 doubles.

Violette got the Pirates' only point of the afternoon when he pulled out a 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-5) win over Harshvardhan Chopra at #1 singles.  No other singles match went more than two sets.  Tjelle had the closest losing decision for Whitworth, falling 6-3, 6-4 to Braeden Thomas at #4 singles.

The Pirates continue a difficult NWC-opening trip with a match at defending NWC champion George Fox on Saturday.