First Place Pilots Host Gonzaga in Battle of WCC Leaders
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Complete Release
PORTLAND PILOTS (4-0)
vs GONZAGA BULLDOGS (4-2)
Date: Friday, Feb. 17
Starting Time: 1:00 p.m.
Location: Portland, Ore.
Facility: Louisiana-Pacific Tennis Center
PORTLAND, Ore. --- Opening the season on a four match winning streak, the Portland Pilots men’s tennis team looks to extend their winning ways as the Gonzaga Bulldogs come to town for the first West Coast Conference match of the season.
Portland (4-0) sits atop the WCC standings having picked up wins over Montana State, UMKC, No. 56 Idaho, and UC Davis to open the season. Three Pilots remain unbeaten, led by sophomore Justin Guay (4-0). Senior Daniel Coelho and sophomore Alex Ferrero are each 2-0 in singles play for Portland.
Gonzaga (4-2) trails only the Pilots in the conference standings having played three matches against nationally ranked opponents. The Bulldogs picked up victories against No. 29 Whitman (Division II) and No. 22 Hawai’i Pacific (Division III) before losing a close match to No. 63 Idaho earlier this season.
Without a scheduled match last week, the Pilots had two weeks to prepare for Gonzaga. Portland head coach Aaron Gross was excited about his team’s progress, "We had a great week of practice, working on several things that we struggled with against UC Davis. Even though we won that match we weren't real happy with our overall performance.”
Portland’s schedule is about to pick up pace, so the extra practice time gave the Pilots an opportunity to polish their skills. “We are getting into a tough part of our schedule with Gonzaga and UC Irvine coming in and then we hit the road for a trip to San Antonio for some difficult matches," Gross added. “All of the guys have been getting some individual work in with the coaches to touch up on some important issues that affect just them, and we have been hitting some big themes that affect the team as a whole.”
When the Pilots and Bulldogs played each other last season, Portland was 2-1 and had just dropped a 4-3 decision to Idaho. The Pilots defeated Gonzaga 6-1 to spark a six match winning streak.
Despite the final team score, the Bulldogs were a tough match last season for the Pilots. “We haven't lost to Gonzaga in my time here,” Gross commented. “We had a really close match last year and I think they are a much better team than they were last year. We are definitely a better team than we were last year.”
Like the Pilots, Gonzaga returns five of its singles players from last year’s match. Zhia Hwa Chong is 6-0 in both singles and doubles play for the Bulldogs while newcomer Alvaro Nazal is 4-2 in singles matches after going 9-2 in the fall tournaments.
Gross expects an exciting match to unfold Friday, “We are looking forward to a very tough match. We won't be taking them for granted at all. We know we will be in for a long day and will need to play well to win."
One month into the season and the two teams picked to occupy the bottom of the standings lead one of the toughest conferences in the nation. With six WCC teams currently ranked, the conference schedule promises to offer some of the best talent in the nation.
“Gonzaga and [Portland] probably have the best teams we have ever had and were picked in the coaches poll to finish in the bottom of the conference,” Gross remarked. “It is a challenge that all of our guys relish to have the opportunity for teams like San Diego, Santa Clara, San Francisco, and St. Mary's to come in here and play us on our own courts.”
Portland will get the opportunity this season to show the conference it too is a force. “We have played these teams several times over the last 7-8 years either at their home courts or in outdoor conditions that similar to the conditions that they are used to,” Gross concluded, “but none of those teams have been up here in a long time.”
Quick Hits...
• After a week off, Portland returns to action to continue its six match homestand by hosting the Gonzaga Bulldogs (4-2) on Friday at 1 p.m, the first WCC match-up of the season.
• The Pilots are 4-0 to open the season after defeating UC Davis in their last match.
• Sophomore Justin Guay has a 4-0 record in singles play and sophomore Alex Ferrero and senior Daniel Coelho are each 2-0.
• Collectively, the Pilots are 19-5 in singles.
• Portland is 10-2 in doubles competitions as Michel Hu Kwo/Alex Ferrero and Geoff Hernandez/Stefan Micov are each 4-0 when playing together.
About the Bulldogs
• Gonzaga enters with a 4-2 mark, including a 2-1 record against ranked opponents.
• The Bulldogs swept Seattle last time out, one day after losing to No. 63 Idaho, a team the Pilots defeated one week earlier.
• Zhia Hwa Chong is undefeated in all of his matches, owning a 6-0 record in singles play and a 6-0 record with partner Scott Sullivan in doubles.
• Alvaro Nazal posted a 9-2 record during the fall in tournament play and is 4-1 in the one position in dual matches (4-2 overall).
• As a team, Gonzaga is 22-15 in singles and 12-6 in doubles.
