TACOMA – The Pacific Lutheran men's tennis team wrapped up the first half of the 2016 Northwest Conference season Sunday afternoon as the Lutes fell 9-0 to George Fox at Sprinker Recreation Center.

"The team came to play today," PLU head coach John Cassens said. "Jeremy Marsh gave a big performance, and James Okubo and Alberto Leal played one of the best doubles teams in the league very close."

Okubo and Leal took on George Fox's Spencer Watanabe and Chris Lilley in the top doubles match, falling 8-4 to open the match. Marsh and Noel Oteng-Mensah fell 8-1 to Nicholas Grafton and Vincent Viloria in the second match, and Justin deMattos and DJ Pekoc fell 8-2 against Mitchell Miyashiro and Tristen Lerma to close out the doubles round.

Marsh had the closest singles match of the day for the Lutes, pushing Lilley to extra points in the opening set before falling 7-5, 6-2 in the second match. Watanabe defeated Okubo 6-0, 6-1 in the top matchup, while Grafton defeated Oteng-Mensah 6-3, 6-1 in the third match. The fourth slot saw Viloria defeat Pekoc 6-2, 6-0, while Miyashiro defeated deMattos 6-1, 6-2 at number five and Nick Ekern defeated Chan Thourk 6-2, 6-2 in the final match of the day.

The Lutes host Bellevue College in an exhibition match Saturday, March 19, at 11:30 a.m. at Lakewood Racquet Club before heading to California for their spring break trip.