“UW is probably going to be the best team we will play this year,” said head coach Aaron Gross. “They give our young guys a good barometer on what we are striving to be. But at this point, any team we play coming up won't seem nearly as daunting as tonight’s challenge."
Senior Filip Zivkovic, a two-time All-West Coast Conference singles player, put up the strongest fight taking the Huskies’ Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan to two tie-breaks before dropping the match 7-6 (5), 7-5. Zivkovic now posts a 40-20 all-time dual singles record for the Pilots.
"I don't feel like we played poorly tonight,” said Gross. “UW is a good team, and on top of that, they played really well. Filip played a great singles match and easily could have won with a couple of breaks going his way. And Daniel Coelho and Jackson Martin, both playing their first DI dual matches played really well.”
Junior Coelho, the 2009 ITA Junior and Community College Region I Player of the Year at Riverside City CC last year, made his first appearance for the Pilots. He battled to a two-set loss against Brad Bator in the No. 5 spot.
Also making his debut for UP was freshman Martin who fell 6-2, 6-3 to junior Alex Rosinski at the No. 6 position.
In the doubles dual, the No. 23 nationally ranked pair of Zivkovic and senior Evan Schleining forced the UW duo of Martin Kildahl and Derek Drabble to the limit, ultimately falling 8-6.
The Pilots have a quick turn around with a match on Friday, Jan. 22 at 4:30 p.m. against UC Irvine on the Nordstrom courts in Seattle, Wash.
