Box Score WALLA WALLA, Wash. - The Whitman College men's tennis team took on Division I Montana in its spring home opener but came up short in a 6-1 loss to the Grizzlies on Saturday afternoon at the Bratton Indoor Tennis Center.

With Division I rules in effect, the Grizzlies won on the No. 3 and No. 1 doubles courts to earn the point heading into singles play. Whitman would win at the two however as Rajul Chikkalingaiah and Andreas Mueller-Immergluck took down the Montana pair of Ed Pudney and Oisin Shaffrey, 6-4.

The Grizzlies won the first three matches to finish to clinch the win. Pontis Hallgren topped Daniel Foster at the two 6-4, 6-3 after Mueller-Immergluck and Chikkalingaiah fell on the No. 3 and No. 4 courts, respectively.

Whitman's lone point came in a fantastic contest at first singles between Pudney and Ben Kirsh. After dropping the opening set, Kirsh rallied with a second set tiebreak victory to send the match to a third set. An epic battle ensued as Kirsh got the better of Pudney to win 2-6, 7-6, 16-14.

The Blues (0-3) are back in action with a pair of matches this Monday, Feb. 17. Whitman visits Lewiston, Idaho to play Idaho and Lewis-Clark State College.