Box Score LAS VEGAS, Nev. – For the second time in as many days, the Portland men's tennis team dropped a 4-3 decision at the Fertitta Tennis Complex. The host UNLV Rebels held on for the narrow victory after claiming the doubles point and withstanding a furious rally by the Pilots in singles play.

The Rebels (1-0) swept all three doubles positions, but all six singles matches went down to the wire.

At No. 3 singles, Richard Soldberg outlasted Pilot freshman Nicklas Oberg in three sets to make it a 2-0 UNLV lead. Portland sophomore Tom Hann won in three sets over Eric Samuelsson at No. 2 singles to pull the Pilots closer.

Freshman Eleftherios Neos then posted a comeback, three set victory against Jordan Sauer at the No. 4 position to tie the match.  

UNLV won at No. 5, but freshman Sema Pankin pulled out a three-setter at No. 1 over Olle Thestrup to set up the deciding point at No. 6 singles.

Pilot freshman Leo Hibi dropped the first set, but pushed it to a third with a tiebreak win, but Tom Ciszwski would clinch it in the third for the Rebels.

"This would have been a nice one to get," Portland head coach Aaron Gross said. "We were behind all day. It was a very freshman-like doubles performance and then we struggled to get a hold of any rhythm early in singles. We competed amazingly though. We won four second sets after losing first sets, which is a great sign of toughness. Sema and Lefty had great wins and really showed something today. Tom was solid all weekend and had a good win today at number two. We really try and walk the line between accentuating a very positive performance this weekend and yet coming home with two losses. We don't want to get complacent and used to just having tight matches, but aside from doubles these two days, we were very good in singles."

Portland continues the dual season with a neutral site match against Nevada on Friday in Eugene, Ore. The match will be played at the Student Tennis Center on the Oregon campus and begin at 9 a.m.

The Pilots will then open West Coast Conference play against the preseason favorite San Diego Toreros at home on Sunday at 9 a.m. USD has won the WCC Tournament Championship and advanced to the NCAA Championships each of the last five years. That match will have live video and point-by-point scoring at PortlandPilots.com.

UNLV 4, Portland 3
Las Vegas, Nev. (Fertitta Tennis Complex)
Jan. 27, 2019

Portland vs UNLV
Jan 27, 2019 at Las Vegas, NV
(Fertitta Tennis Complex)
 
UNLV 4, Portland 3

Singles competition
1. Sema Pankin (POR) def. Olle Thestrup (UNLV) 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2
2. Tom Hann (POR) def. Eric Samuelsson (UNLV) 6-1, 5-7, 5-1, retired
3. Richard Solberg (UNLV) def. Nicklas Oberg (POR) 6-3, 0-6, 6-2
4. Eleftherios Neos (POR) def. Jordan Sauer (UNLV) 3-6, 6-4, 7-5
5. Clayton Alenik (UNLV) def. Issa Yoshida (POR) 7-5, 7-6 (3)
6. Tom Ciszwski (UNLV) def. Leo Hibi (POR) 6-1, 6-7 (7), 6-2

Doubles
1. Alenik/Samuelsson (UNLV) def. Pankin/Yoshida (POR) 6-3
2. Sauer/Thestrup (UNLV) def. Hann/Neos (POR) 7-5
3. Solberg/Zach Garner (UNLV) def. Oberg/Hibi (POR) 6-2

Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (3,2,4,5,1,6)