TUALATIN, Ore. – Portland junior Jana Tanevska pulled out a three-set win at No. 6 singles to clinch a 4-3 victory over crosstown rival Portland State Friday afternoon at Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation District. The Pilots open the 2022 dual season 1-0, while the Vikings fall to 0-2.

"This was a gritty match against a very good Portland State team," Portland first-year head coach Filip Zivkovic said. "They are a good squad and we were outplayed in the doubles to start the match. We responded incredibly well and battled start to finish in singles."

The Vikings took the early 1-0 lead by winning 6-3 at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles. Portland's No. 3 doubles team of Aleksandra Dimitrijevic and Marija Elenova were leading 5-4 when PSU clinched.

The Vikings went up 2-0 overall with a straight sets win at the No. 4 position before Dimitrijevic got the Pilots on the board with a 6-2, 6-4 win at No. 5 singles in her collegiate dual debut.

Pethybridge, another true freshman, then gutted out a 7-6, 6-4 win at No. 2 singles over Jacinta Milenkoski to tie the score, but PSU won at No. 4 singles to pull within one point of clinching.

Iva Zelic came through at No. 1 singles with a hard-fought 7-5, 7-6 win against Capu Sanoner to tie the score and set up the exciting finish.

Tanevska dropped her opening set to Makoto Ohara by a 6-2 margin, but bounced back to win the next two sets 6-4, 6-4 and clinch the emotional victory.

"I am so happy for Jana being the clinching point," Zivkovic said. "She worked very hard the entire off season and it really showed today in an incredible performance. A win like this takes every player showing up and leaving it all out on the court. I am very proud of the way we competed today and it is definitely something to continue building on."

The Pilots will take a two-week break before returning to the court in Eugene, Ore. against Eastern Washington on Saturday, Feb. 12 at 1 p.m. The team will then face host Oregon on Sunday, Feb. 13 at 2 p.m. Both matches will be played on the Oregon campus at the Student Tennis Center.


Portland 4, Portland State 3
Tualatin, Ore. (Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation District)
January 28, 2022

Singles
1. Iva Zelic (POR) def. Capu Sanoner (PSU) 7-5, 7-6 (8)
2. Sally Pethybridge (POR) def. Jacinta Milenkoski (PSU) 7-6 (5), 6-4
3. Emily Rees (PSU) def. Neli Sunjic (POR) 6-4, 6-4
4. Nika Beukers (PSU) def. Rimona Rouf (POR) 7-5, 6-3
5. Aleksandra Dimitrijevic (POR) def. Mariajose Hernandez Coronado (PSU) 6-2, 6-4
6. Jana Tanevska (POR) def. Makoto Ohara (PSU) 2-6, 6-4, 6-4

Doubles
1. Sanona/Beukers (PSU) def. Zelic/Rouf (POR) 6-3
2. Hernandez/Rees (PSU) def. Pethybridge/Tanevska (POR) 6-3
3. Dimitrijevic/Marija Elenova (POR) vs. Milenkoski/Ohara (PSU) 5-4 unfinished
Order of Finish (Singles:4,5,2,3,1,6; Doubles: 1,2)

Team Records:
Portland 1-0
Portland State 0-2