Pilots Face Tough Match against No. 12 Ole Miss
 
PORTLAND, Ore. --- Off to a 4-1 start, the Portland Pilots men’s tennis team faces another challenge on Wednesday as the No. 12 Mississippi Rebels (2-1) come to The Bluff for a 10 a.m. match at the Louisiana-Pacific Tennis Center.
 
Portland is no stranger to facing the nation’s top teams. This year, Portland has already played at then-no. 22 Washington and still have the entire West Coast Conference schedule, which accounted for six ranked opponents last season.
 
All but two players return from last year’s team, which reached a program-best no. 45 national ranking.
 
This year’s team is led by familiar faces, with juniors Alex Ferrero (4-1), Michel Hu Kwo (3-2), and Justin Guay (3-2) anchoring the middle of the singles rotation once again.
 
Ratan Gill, another junior, is showing that he has fully recovered from a nagging injury that limited his playing time last year. A native of Richmond, B.C., the Canadian is a perfect 5-0 this year after just playing one singles match last season.
 
Rounding out the Pilots’ singles rotation are freshman Paxton Deuel and senior Jackson Martin, who are a combined 7-3 thus far.
 
The Ole Miss Rebels will provide the Pilots a glimpse into what the conference schedule ahead will offer. Mississippi comes to town with four players ranked in the top 100, including Jonas Lutjen, the No. 6-ranked singles player.