TACOMA - George Fox won two of three points in doubles and that proved to be the winning margin as the visiting Bruins defeated Pacific Lutheran, 5-4, in a Northwest Conference men's tennis match played Sunday afternoon at the UPS Tennis Pavilion.

The win ended a long drought for the Bruins against the Lutes. Since instituting the men's program in 1996, George Fox had never beaten Pacific Lutheran. That streak has ended.

Taylor Dickey and Scott Sheldon combined for a solid 8-3 victory over Scott Barnett and Preston Mann at No. 1 doubles, but the Bruins picked up wins in the other two matches for two valuable team points. Peter Brown and Josiah Jackson beat Neal Berg and Zack AhYat, 8-4, at No. 2 doubles, and Justin McClain and Andy Tweet topped Reed Gunstone and Michael Parretta, 8-2, at No. 3 doubles.

When the teams split their singles matches, the extra doubles point carried the Bruins to victory.

PLU players winning singles matches were Sheldon at No. 2, beating Brown 6-1, 3-6, 7-5, Daniel Cotton at No. 4, stuffing McClain 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, and Gunstone at No. 6, besting Tweet 6-1, 6-4.

George Fox singles wins came from Barnett over Dickey at No. 1, 6-2, 6-4, Mann over AhYat at No. 3, 6-2, 7-6 (1), and Jackson over Berg at No. 5, 6-2, 6-4.

With the win, George Fox improves to 3-1 overall and to 2-1 in the conference. Pacific Lutheran is now 1-3 overall and 0-3 in conference play.

- PLU -