Keith Mader
Sports editor

The men’s tennis team beat Pacific University, 7-2, on April 11 to improve its record to 14-6, 13-3 in Northwest Conference play.
Linfield went 5-1 in singles play and 2-1 in doubles play.
Freshman No. 1 singles player Ward Van Mens won 6-1 and 1-0 and improved to 11-4 and 9-2 for the season.
Senior Nick Ruess claimed a victory 6-1 and 6-2 against the Boxers to lead the team.
Junior Kyle Anderson and sophomore Tal Dewitt have had success this season with a 7-3 and 5-2 for the conference.
“I have transformed my singles play from last year into being able to play doubles well,” Dewitt said. “I have gained confidence from and have enjoyed playing doubles.”
The ’Cats tied Pacific Lutheran University for the second seed, but earned the third seed because of the Lutes’ win over the Wildcats on March 14.
“We have had some struggles this year,” Dewit said. “Especially the loss to PLU the second time that we played them. When we lost against PLU, we were short some players. Our coach always says we win as a whole team, and lose as a whole team, and I believe it.”
Linfield’s 7-2 loss was one of its only three conference losses this year. The other losses, both from Whitman, who earned the first seed in the championship.
“Whitman is our toughest competition in the season and I think that we have all had great matches against them,” Dewitt said. “They are a very strong team, but I feel that the matches against Whitman were closer than the score showed. I feel the win could have gone either way.”
Linfield has hope for the tournament and aspires to do well.
“We deserve to win,” Dewitt said. “We all know that it’s going to be a lot of work and mental strength to make it to the top. We are going into this tournament ready to fight and try to take the title.”
The team begins NWC Championships on April 17 in Yakima, Wash. at 8 a.m.