OJAI, Calif.--- As it has so many times this season, the match came down to just a couple of points on various courts, but in the end it was fifth-seeded Oregon coming away with a 4-1 victory over Arizona in the opening round of Pac-12 Championship play, Wednesday afternoon out at Libbey Park.
There was no shortage of effort, as Arizona (8-19, 0-7 Pac-12) battled right from the very beginning. Oregon's Cormac Clissold and Jayson Amos defeated Jason Jaruvang and Trevor James 8-4 on court three, but that was as easy as it would get for the Ducks.
Matt Dunn and Will Kneale nearly pulled off a win on court two, but the pair eventually dropped a hard-fought 8-6 affair on court two. Shoki Kasahara and Naoki Takeda were on the verge of upsetting the No. 77 tandem in the country on court one in Daan Maasland and Simon Stevens, but play was suspended due to Oregon (15-8, 3-4 Pac-12) clinching the doubles point.
The Ducks struck first in singles play, as Amos defeated Kasahara 6-0, 6-0 from the No. 4 spot to claim an overall 2-0 lead.
UO then extended its lead to 3-0, after Clissold bested James 6-2, 6-0 at the No. 5 position, but the Wildcats refused to go down without a fight, as Jaruvang came through with a straight-set, 6-4, 6-1 victory from the No. 2 spot to keep the Cats alive, down 3-1. The win marked the junior's second win from the No. 2 position this season.
Will Kneale did his best to keep Arizona's rally alive, but in the end he didn't have quite enough, as he dropped a 7-5, 6-2 decision on court three to bring the final to 4-1.
#50 Oregon (5) 4, Arizona (8) 1
SINGLES
1. #115 Daan Maasland (UO) vs. #62 Naoki Takeda (ARIZM) 3-2, unfinished
2. Jason Jaruvang (ARIZM) def. Daniel Sardu (UO) 6-4, 6-1
3. Simon Stevens (UO) def. Will Kneale (ARIZM) 7-5, 6-2
4. Jayson Amos (UO) def. Shoki Kasahara (ARIZM) 6-0, 6-0
5. Cormac Clissold (UO) def. Trevor James (ARIZM) 6-2, 6-0
6. Joey Swaysland (UO) vs. Jose Zamorano (ARIZM) 7-6, 4-2, unfinished
Order of Finish: 4,5,2,3*
DOUBLES
1. #77 Daan Maasland/Simon Stevens (UO) vs. Shoki Kasahara/Naoki Takeda (ARIZM) 7-7, unfinished
2. Daniel Sardu/Joey Swaysland (UO) def. Matt Dunn/Will Kneale (ARIZM) 8-6
3. Cormac Clissold/Jayson Amos (UO) def. Jason Jaruvang/Trevor James (ARIZM) 8-4
Order of Finish: 3,2
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