WALLA WALLA, Wash.  With Saturday afternoon's 9-0 Northwest Conference triumph over visiting Whitworth University, the 21st-ranked Whitman men's tennis team has completed an unbeaten conference slate and earned the right to host the league's postseason tournament beginning Saturday, April 21.

The Blues captured the NWC title Saturday to seize the regular-season crown with an 8-0 mark, while improving to 13-7 overall. The Pirates drop to 3-4 in the league and 3-14 overall.

Whitman got off to a quick start against Whitworth, rolling out an all-seniors cadre of doubles tandems who pushed the Blues to a 3-0 start at the Whitman outdoor courts.

Robert Carter and Gary Ho teamed up for an 8-3 win in the 1-doubles slot, Chase Friedman and Luke Targett won an 8-6 battle at No. 2, and Trevor Fennessy and Zach Hewlin won 8-3 at 3-doubles.

In singles action, the Whitman lineup won each of the six matches in straight sets while surrendering a combined total of nine games.

Hewlin took a 6-2, 6-0 win at No. 1; Ho claimed the match-clinching point with his 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 3; Carter won out, love and 2, at No. 4; and Friedman nearly recorded a shutout with his 1 and love win at No. 6 to complete the seniors' afternoons.

Sophomores Ben Kirsh and Daniel Foster earned Whitman's other two points during singles play.

Kirsh added his love and 3 victory at 2-singles, and Foster shut out Whitworth's Thomas Remington at the No. 5 spot.

Whitman will now host the No. 4 seed -- either Pacific (Ore.) University or George Fox University -- in a semifinal match Saturday in Walla Walla.  Pacific or George Fox, whichever one claims the No. 3 seed, will square off with second-seeded Lewis & Clark College in the other semifinal.

The winners Saturday advance to the NWC tournament's championship match Sunday in Walla Walla.

The Blues, who close out their regular season with a non-conference match Sunday at home against UC Santa Cruz, will be gunning for their 11th consecutive NWC tournament title.