OJAI TOURNAMENT: Bruins Bow Out after Three Matches in Ojai’s Opening Rounds

PORT HUENEME, Calif. - It was a short but eye-opening stay for three members of the George Fox University men's tennis team in the Division III section of the 111th Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament as the Bruins bowed out after their two opening-round singles matches and one doubles match Thursday here at the Moranda Park courts.

In the singles round of 64, the Bruins' Preston Mann dropped a 6-0, 6-4 decision to Nick Tagliarino of the Pomona-Pitzer Colleges, and Justin McClain of George Fox gave Darren Dahl of the University of Redlands a run for his money before falling 6-3, 6-4.  In the doubles round of 32, McClain and Peter Brown were doubled up by Andy Hansen and Chris Schommer of Whittier College by an 8-4 count.

One other Bruin - No. 1 player Scott Barnett - had also been invited, but was unable to participate due to graduation ceremonies at the university scheduled for Saturday.

The Ojai competition marked the end of the 2010-11 season for a young Bruins squad that was composed of only one senior (Barnett, an athletic junior), one community college transfer (Brown), and eight freshmen (including Mann and McClain).  George Fox finished 6-10 overall under second-year coach Neal Ninteman and 5-7 in the Northwest Conference, in a tie for fifth place, one game out of an NWC Tournament spot. 

The main Ojai Tournament website is at http://www.ojaitourney.org/.  Complete Division III results are available at http://tennislink.usta.com/Tournaments/TournamentHome/Results.aspx?T=99868&E=10.