TACOMA, Wash. – Lewis & Clark men's tennis earned a gritty 4-3 road victory over the University of Puget Sound on Saturday, capturing its 12th win of the season—the most since the 2017-18 campaign.
 
THE BASICS
 
Lewis & Clark 4, Puget Sound 3
(Lewis & Clark 12-4, 9-3 NWC)
(Puget Sound 3-9, 3-8 NWC)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
Six different Pioneers contributed to wins against the Loggers, led by senior Matt Chio and junior Spencer Loucks, who prevented a doubles sweep. Lewis & Clark won three consecutive singles matches before senior Bennett Gazor clinched the deciding point after Puget Sound had rallied to tie the match 3-3.
 
Chio and Loucks provided an early spark for the Pioneers, dominating third doubles with a 6-1 victory over Tyler Blixt and Vincent Unpingco. However, Puget Sound responded quickly, winning at first and second doubles to claim the doubles point. Sophomore duo Joey Lyon and Noah Sutin fell 6-3 at No. 1 doubles to Jason Rowe and Will Church, while juniors Wade McDermott and Kai Wills lost 6-4 at No. 2 doubles to Trent Beckman and Jackson Stumpf.
 
Trailing 1-0 entering singles, the Pioneers shifted momentum immediately. Wills tied the match with a dominant 6-3, 6-0 win over Stumpf at fifth singles. McDermott followed with a strong performance at No. 3 singles, defeating Carson Ward 6-3, 6-4 to give Lewis & Clark the lead.
 
Sutin extended the advantage to 3-1, winning decisively at second singles over Church, 6-2, 6-3. The Loggers narrowed the margin when first-year Arnav Bishnoi dropped a close contest at fourth singles, 6-2, 7-5, to Beckman. Lyon battled hard at No. 1 singles but fell narrowly, 7-5, 7-5, to Rowe.
 
With the match tied, Gazor secured the team victory at sixth singles in a thrilling three-set battle against Unpingco. Gazor comfortably won the first set 6-0 before Unpingco rallied to win the second set in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (4). Gazor regained his composure and secured the decisive set, 7-5.
 
BY THE NUMBERS 

• At 9-3 in NWC play, the Pioneers sit a half-match behind George Fox (9-2) and two matches ahead of Pacific (7-5). Lewis & Clark and Pacific each have two conference matches remaining. Next weekend, the Pioneers visit Whitworth and league-leading Whitman, while Pacific hosts Linfield and travels to George Fox. Aside from its regular-season finale against Pacific, George Fox hosts Whitworth tomorrow and visits Willamette on Saturday.
• Chio and Loucks earned their third consecutive doubles win, improving to 7-3 in NWC doubles play.
• Lewis & Clark defeated Puget Sound for the 17th consecutive time. This was the closest matchup since a 5-4 Pioneer win in Tacoma on March 5, 2022.
• McDermott earned his seventh consecutive singles victory, his 16th overall and ninth in NWC competition.
• The Pioneers lost the doubles point for only the fifth time this season. They are 2-3 when losing the doubles point and 10-1 when winning it.

WHO'S NEXT
 
Lewis & Clark hosts Bellevue College in an exhibition match Sunday at 2 p.m. at the L&C Tennis Dome.