McMINNVILLE, Ore. – Building a 2-1 lead after doubles but unable to sustain it, the Linfield Wildcats took a 6-3 Northwest Conference setback at the hands of the Willamette Bearcats Saturday at Courthouse Tennis Center.

The Wildcats (1-4, 1-3 NWC) absorbed their second setback in as many days.

Linfield’s top doubles tandem of Cody Levien and Zach Lyons improved to 5-0 for the season after topping WU’s leading duo of Devin Abney and Garrett Vincent 8-4 in the top flight. The Wildcats’ Ben Brewer (Soph., Lake Oswego, Ore.) and Joel Trousdale (Soph., Hillsboro, Ore.) carved out an 8-6 win over the Bearcats’ Will Cooper and Cameron Thompson at No. 3. Willamette picked up is doubles point at No. 2, where Cody Ferguson and Joshua Wong blanked Luke Kleinman and Micha Roos, 8-0.

Willamette captured five of the six singles pairings, including a tense 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 decision at No. 3, where Ferguson topped Roos.

Wong picked up a 6-1, 6-1 win over Levien at No. 1, keeping the Wildcats senior without a singles win this season. Lyons earned a decisive 6-0, 6-3 win over Vincent at No. 2.

The Bearcats owned the lower three flights. Cooper beat Kleinman 6-3, 6-4 at No. 4, Abney was a 6-4, 6-2 winner over Brewer at No. 5, and Will Agnew-Svoboda bumped off Linfield freshman Tyler Day 6-2, 6-4 at No. 6.

AHEAD: Linfield returns to its home courts for the next three matches. Next Saturday, the Wildcats host Puget Sound at the Linfield Tennis Center. The ‘Cats then battle defending NWC champion Whitman Sunday. Both contests start at 11 a.m.