PORTLAND — University of Portland senior Lacey Pflibsen secured a 4-0 weekend for herself with singles and doubles victories yesterday, which helped the Pilots (1-2) to a 5-2 victory over the visiting Montana Grizzlies (0-3). 

The Pilots picked up their first dual victory of the spring season, earning the first point of the match after doubles play. Portland got rolling as the No. 2 doubles team of Sabine and Stephanie Fuchs knocked off Heather Davidson and Constance Alexander 8-5 for the first victory of the afternoon. Pflibsen and doubles partner Alice Tucker followed the victory of the Fuchs sisters with one of their own taking down Rebecca Bran and Whitney Paluch, the No. 10 doubles team in the Mountain Region, 8-4.

It was then Pflibsen who got things going for Portland in singles play with a two set win at No. 1 singles. Sabine Fuchs took two sets at No. 2 singles, before Davidson secured Montana’s first point at No. 3 singles. After Montana won at No. 4, it was sophomore Valeska Hoath that secured the victory for Portland with a two set win at No. 5 singles.

At No. 6 singles sophomore Beate Valdmane picked up her first singles victory at Portland after transferring from South Carolina State.

“We keep improving at every position as a team and focusing our practice time on individual areas to address to close out points more efficiently,” said head coach Susie Campbell-Gross. “If we can keep up this rate of improvement it will be an exciting season. We still have a lot of work ahead of us but the team is committed to seeing it through.”

Portland will next take to the courts Friday at the Columbia Basin Racquet Club in Richland, Wash., against Eastern Washington.

Portland (1-2) 5

Montana (0-3) 2

Jan. 30, 2011

Louisiana-Pacific Tennis Center

Doubles

1: PFLIBSEN, Lacey/TUCKER, Alice def. BRAN, Rebecca/PALUCH, Whitney 8-4

2: FUCHS, Sabine/FUCHS, Stephanie def. ALEXANDER, Constance/DAVIDSON, Heather 8-5

3: GIBSON, Lauren/MACKEY, Ashley def. HOATH, Valeska/VALDMANE, Beate 8-7 (1)

Singles

1: PFLIBSEN, Lacey def. BRAN, Rebecca 6-3; 6-3

2: FUCHS, Sabine def. ALEXANDER, Constance 6-2; 6-1

3: DAVIDSON, Heather def. TUCKER, Alice 5-7; 6-4; 6-4

4: PALUCH, Whitney def. FUCHS, Stephanie 6-3; 6-0

5: HOATH, Valeska def. MACKEY, Ashley 6-5; 6-1

6: VALDMANE, Beate def. GIBSON, Lauren 7-6 (5); 6-4

Order of Finish

Doubles: 2, 1, 3

Singles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6