Sophomore Blake Muller and freshman Paul Morrissey entered the ITA Northwest Regional Doubles final Tuesday as the only remaining members of the Stanford men’s tennis team in the event. The pair won their first four matches of the tournament but were denied the title by California’s Pierre Mouillon and Daniel Sebescen.

EnlargeEnlarge
Freshman Paul Morrissey (above) and sophomore Blake Muller fell to California’s Pierre Mouillon and Daniel Sebescen, 8-3, in the finals of the ITA Northwest Regional. #gallery http://daily.stanford.org/image/full/6408
Alvin Chow

Freshman Paul Morrissey (above) and sophomore Blake Muller fell to California’s Pierre Mouillon and Daniel Sebescen, 8-3, in the finals of the ITA Northwest Regional.

The second-seeded Bears and the Cardinal duo kept it close through the early part of the match before exchanging back-to-back service breaks. Cal broke Stanford’s serve once more to take a 5-3 lead. The Bears managed to hold and gain a 6-3 edge. With this momentum, Stanford’s cross-Bay rivals broke Muller’s serve to go up 7-3 and finally closed out the match, 8-3.

In singles action, Fresno State’s Jakub Cech defeated Washington’s Alex Slovic in the finals, 6-7 (4), 6-2, 7-6 (4). In 2005, Slovic also lost in the finals to recent Stanford graduate KC Corkery, 6-4, 6-4. Morrissey was the only Stanford athlete to face Cech — losing a close three-setter to the Bulldog, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 — in the Round of 32.

This victory at the Northwest Regional earned Mouillon, Sebescen and Cech berths in the ITA National Indoor Tournament, to be held next Thursday through Sunday in Columbus, Ohio.