Due to injury and illness, the men’s tennis team struggled to find ground against an undefeated Lewis & Clark team on Saturday.

Lewis & Clark blanked the Wildcats and took the full count 9-0. Linscott, the top Wildcats singles player this season was out for the weekend due to injury, therefore, everyone remaining on the roster moved up a spot and doubles lineups were shaken up a bit to change things up.

Jose Luis Rojas, ‘20, and John Lutaaya, ‘20 played one doubles and went down 8-2.

Ben McNair, ‘18, and Charlie Farrenkopf, ‘17, played well against the second flight battling 8-5, ending up on the losing end. Trent Prussing, ‘19, and Jacob Mangan, ‘19, took the loss 8-1.

The Wildcats were holding out hope for singles. Rojas at one singles played hard, but lost in straight sets 7-5, 6-2. Prussing at second singles went down 6-2, 6-1. Nathan Saragoza, ‘20, fought hard, but went down 6-3, 6-2. Mangan at four singles went down 6-0, 6-3. Farrenkopf played five doubles and lost 6-1, 6-0. Carter Pentz, ‘19, returned to the lineup, but went down 6-0, 6-0.

The Wildcats attempted to bounce back against the Pacific University Boxers, but were short-handed once again and went down 8-1.

Rojas and Lutaaya played one doubles and went down with the identical score as the day prior. McNair and Farrenkopf fought hard, yet again, but couldn’t capture a win and lost 8-6. Eric Rutherford, ‘19, and Pentz went down 8-4 at third doubles.

In singles play, Rojas at one singles struggled and lost 6-2, 6-0. McNair played second singles, but lost 6-4, 6-2. Prussing at three singles lost 6-0, 6-3. Saragoza was the only Wildcat to make it on the scoreboard defeating his opponent, 6-3, 6-3.

Lutaaya made it back into the singles lineup, but took the loss 6-1, 6-0. Mangan played six singles and lost 6-3, 6-0.

“It was a tough weekend of matches. We played strong competition and weren’t at full strength due to injuries and sickness. It forced new doubles pairings and placing people in different spots in the lineup,” said assistant coach Brent Kingzett.

Mangan echoed Kingzett that it was a tough weekend against top teams in the conference. The highlight of the weekend “Carter Pentz getting back into the lineup and playing really good doubles for our team,” said Mangan.

On the weekend, “We’re on a little bit of a skid right now. We just have to refocus and remain confident in what we’re trying to do out there,” concluded Mangan.

The Linfield ‘Cats are 2-6 overall and 2-4 in the Northwest Conference. The Wildcats look to bounce back on Saturday, March 11 at 3pm against Whitman College in McMinnville.