WALLA WALLA, Wash. A tough double for the 24th-ranked Whitman men's tennis team turned out to be less troublesome than it could have been as the Blues picked up a dominating 8-1 Northwest Conference home win Sunday over Pacific (Ore.) University, following a league win Saturday in Spokane, Washington.

Whitman (10-2, 4-0 NWC), playing on its home indoor courts at the Bratton Indoor Tennis Center, reeled off wins in each of the singles matches Sunday against the Boxers (1-4, 1-2) to hand them their second conference loss of the season.

Zach Hewlin, Robert Carter, Daniel Foster and Gary Ho each won in straight sets at the Nos. 1, 4, 5 and 6 singles positions, while Petar Jivkov at No. 2 and Chase Friedman at No. 3 were battling to three-set victories.

Jivkov and Friedman each dropped opening sets to their Boxer opponents. Jivkov stormed back to take the next two sets, 6-4 and 7-5, from Oscar Wight for a Whitman point, and Friedman pounded out wins, 2 and 3, in rallying for his triumph over Josh Bernstein.

Hewlin and Jivkov had earlier in the match teamed up for a quick 8-1 win at No. 2 doubles, with Gary Ho and Trevor Fennessy adding the other doubles point with their 9-8, (7-5) victory at 3-doubles.

Sunday the Blues won in similar fashion at Whitworth University, taking an 8-1 victory from the host Pirates in another conference match-up.

Whitman continues league play with its next match, a road challenge against George Fox University Saturday in Newberg, Oregon.