Despite heavy losses against Lewis & Clark in a weekend conference game, the men’s tennis team continues to face challenges with a fighting spirit on the courts.

On Feb. 28, the Wildcats faced off against the Pioneers in both singles and doubles matches, losing 9-0.

However, both the players and coach were pleased with the matchups, and came out of the event with high hopes for the next weekend.

The doubles games especially showed potential for the team.

“We had two really close doubles matches. [Micah Roos] and I came back from 6-0 to lose 8-5. We didn’t win but it was a huge comeback,” freshman Ben Mcnair said.

“They got up to a big lead in doubles and it didn’t look very good for us, but I was really proud of how we fought our way back. They didn’t win those matches, but what it’s really about is they didn’t give up, they didn’t quit. They fought for it,” Coach Carl Swanson said.

Sophomore Kelsey Rosborough and senior Lukas Kleinman also put up a solid fight in doubles, losing 8-6.

The team continues to develop camaraderie and support for each other as the season progresses, despite the individual nature of the sport.

Linfield’s players focus on building each other up while also conquering their own challenges.

“It’s unique to college and it’s one of the reasons why college tennis is great, the balance between the individual, and that team aspect. We’ve embraced the team spirit, which makes me happy to see,” Swanson said.

The team spirit is easy to see during Linfield’s games, as words of encouragement are a constant back-and-forth between the players.

Looking forward to the future, a shared love for the sport drives each player toward their goals.

“It’s a nice mix of athleticism and skill, you have to find a balance between the two. Some people are just naturals at sports. If you’re naturally fast, naturally athletic, you can be good at track. But you won’t be good at tennis,” said Mcnair.

Next weekend the Wildcats will face off against George Fox, a top team in the conference, at 1 p.m. on March 7 in Newberg.

Parker Wells can be reached at [email protected].