The men’s tennis team walked into Saturdays Tennis match against Whitman with high expectations. With a positive mindset, the team played long doubles matches against the Whitman Blues. But unfortunately, in the end, the team loss 9-0 to the Blues.

Taking their mistakes to heart, players were able to make a quick turn around for their Whitman games on Sunday.

The third doubles team, made up of senior Trent Prussing and sophomore Cameron Ventura fared the best only losing 8-5. 

Linfield first-seeded doubles team made up of senior Nathan Saragoza and junior Luis Rojas doubles team 1 played hard but still lost. During their match, they maintained a strong rally making it clear they would not go down without a fight. 

In the singles matches Linfield’s players struggled to overcome the mental block set by Whitman’s record against them. Linfield has not won against Whitman in 20 years. 

Freshman Blake Fuentes-Gilbert made strides in his first match winning three games but unfortunately, he couldn’t hold his Blues opponent and lost both sets. Rojas and Rutherford each kept in toe with their opponents making their first sets go into a seventh game.  

Although these were all losing scores, singles matches made it clear that players wanted to pull out a win. 

On Sunday, Linfield came back hard against Whitman, winning against the Pirates for the first time since 2010. 

“Beating Whitworth was my favorite moment of the weekend especially since losing to them in prior yea,s.” Saragoza said. “The energy was high and getting the early lead after winning all doubles helped us secure the win!”

The team beat Whitworth 8-1. Saragoza, Prussing, and Rojas did an especially good job correcting mistakes made on the court Saturday to come back stronger the next day. 

By winning doubles in the beginning of the game, the team set themselves up with a cushion of points to fall back on. 

Doubles partners Saragoza and Rojas, Rutherford and Barcellos, Prussing and ventura, won their doubles matches 8-2, 8-5, and 8-4. 

“I felt that the team played some really good tennis all weekend. With a tough loss against Whitman we were able to come back ready and beat Whitworth” Saragoza said after Sundays match. 

The singles on Sunday were also impressive with all of the players winning winning their sets, except Barcellos.

After the weekend, players will continue to prepare and train vigorously. They are looking forward to their Spring break trip to California.