STOCKTON, Calif. – California put three talented Golden Bears in main draw finals on Monday at the ITA Northwest Regional Championships, as seniors Billy Griffith and J.T. Nishimura competed for the doubles title and freshman Jack Molloy contested the singles crown. But the three Bears wound up as runners-up to close the tournament at the University of Pacific's Eve Zimmerman Tennis Center.
 
Top-seeded Griffith and Nishimura – who are also ranked 39th – took Oregon's third-seeded Cormac Clissold and Thomas Laurent to a second-set tiebreaker before falling, 6-2, 7-6(7), in doubles.
 
The fifth-seeded Molloy, who was part of Cal's top-ranked recruiting class last year, likewise took his singles opponent to a second-set tiebreaker. But Portland's second-seeded and 95th-ranked Michail Pervolarakis prevailed, 6-1, 7-6(5). 

 

"I consider our performances at the regionals to be quite outstanding, particularly from our freshmen," Cal head coach Peter Wright said. "We won the team trophy for the most individual wins in the tournament, and our players reached the finals of both singles and doubles.
 
"We've been working hard on developing our talented young team this fall, and it's exciting to see how quickly the guys are learning. Our seniors, Billy and J.T., played several high-quality matches on their way to the finals, and they're shaping up to be one of the top teams in the country in the spring."

The regional tournament served as qualifying for the inaugural Oracle ITA National Fall Championships. Molloy qualified for nationals as a singles finalist, but only the doubles champion earned an automatic berth to nationals. Griffith and Nishimura – and other Bears – may earn at-large berths in doubles and singles when the field for the Nov. 1-5 tournament is announced later this week.
 
ITA Northwest Regional Championships
Oct. 23, 2017, in Stockton, Calif.
Eve Zimmerman Tennis Center
 
Main Draw Singles
 
Final
[2] No. 95 Michail Pervolarakis (Portland) def. [5] Jack Molloy (Cal), 6-1, 7-6(5)
 
Main Draw Doubles
 
Final
[3] Cormac/Clissold/Thomas Laurent (Oregon) def. [1] No. 39 Billy Griffith/J.T. Nishimura (Cal), 6-2, 7-6(7)