Tyson Takeuchi/Senior photographer
The Linfield men’s tennis team remained winless during the weekend, losing 6-3 to Puget Sound University and George Fox University on March 15 and 16.
The two losses dropped Linfield’s record to 0-9 for the season with just three conference games remaining.
The battle with Puget Sound did produce positive results from freshman Tim Hawkins. Hawkins dispatched Puget Sound’s Jake Peterson 6-4, 6-4 and also teamed up with sophomore Micah Roos for a 9-8 doubles victory. The two victories were the first of Hawkins’ collegiate singles and doubles career.
“It was an amazing feeling. It was a huge sigh of relief to finally win a doubles and singles match,” said Hawkins about his first collegiate victories.
Hawkins said his first serve was particularly effective in his doubles match, which helped set up Roos for simple finishes. In his singles match, Hawkins said his forehand was in good shape and it helped dictate the points.
Roos, the Linfield No. 2, provided the other victory against Puget Sound, winning 5-7, 7-5 and 10-8. Puget Sound’s Michael Cutter beat Linfield senior No. 1 Zach Lyons in a three set match, 1-6, 6-3 and 6-4.
With the victory, Puget Sound collected its first NWC victory of the season, which leaves Linfield as the only NWC team with a zero in the win column this season.
When asked about the overall team loss, Hawkins said, “We were pretty disappointed…we all want to win overall. I think that loss will act as motivation to continue working hard to get our first win of the season.”
Saturday’s tussle with George Fox saw Linfield win two of the three doubles matches. Roos and Hawkins teamed up again for an 8-4 victory against George Fox’s Justin McClain and Matt Deming. In the No. 1 doubles slot, Lyons and sophomore Lukas Kleinman rebounded from their 9-7 doubles on Friday and defeated their Saturday adversaries, 8-6. Kleinman continued his success against George Fox with a 6-3, 6-4 singles victory in the No. 4 slot against Chace Stalcup.
The tennis team does not have a match next week because of spring break. Its next match is April 5, and it sends the team to Portland to play Lewis & Clark (3-7, 3-5 NWC). Linfield played Lewis & Clark earlier this year and lost 7-2. Linfield has different doubles partnerships (Roos/Hawkins, Lyons/Kleinman) this time around so Lewis & Clark will see a different Linfield squad. Hawkins is confident Linfield can beat them this next time around.
“We are going to win,” Hawkins said. “We went into our first meeting with them expecting an easy match. Now we know what to expect. We are more experienced now as a team, and we really want a win so I think that we have a good shot at beating them.”
Tyler Bradley
Sports columnist
Tyler Bradley can be reached at
