FORT WORTH, Texas – Sema Pankin picked up a win at No. 1 singles, but the Portland Pilots dropped a 4-1 decision to the Wichita State Shockers in an ITA Kickoff Weekend regional consolation match at the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center on Sunday.

"Rough day at the office today," Portland head coach Aaron Gross said. "We let the doubles points slip away and then lost a couple of close ones in singles that could have gone either way. Sema did a great job of bouncing back from yesterday."

Pankin defeated Orel Ovil by a 6-3, 6-3 margin to pick up his first dual win of the season.

The Shockers (4-1) took the early lead with a hard-fought doubles point. Portland's No. 2 doubles tandem of Julien Penzlin and Nikolas Tvedt defeated Jackie Lin and Ovil by a 6-4 margin, but Wichita State clinched the point with 6-4 wins at the No. 1 and No. 3 positions.

After Pankin tied the overall team score with his win, the Shockers took the next three points to secure the victory with singles wins at the No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 spots.

Eleftherios Neos fell in three sets to Nicolas Acevedo at No. 2 and Tvedt pushed Luka Mrsic to three sets at No. 4, but both came up short. Pilot freshman Oscar Brown was trailing Ray Lo 3-1 in the third set when the match was clinched, while Nicolas Ocana was down a set at No. 6 singles.

"At this point we just need more matches," Gross said. "Not having any matches going into this tournament made it a little tricky. I think when we go back to the video from the last couple of days we will learn and get better for next weekend."

The Pilots will next take the court on Saturday, Feb. 5 against San Diego State in a neutral site match at the Nordstrom Tennis Center in Seattle.

Wichita State 4, Pilots 1
Fort Worth, Texas (Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center)
January 30, 2002

Singles
1. Sema Pankin (POR) def. Orel Ovil (WICH) 6-3, 6-3
2. Nicolas Acevedo (WICH) def. Eleftherios Neos (POR) 3-6, 6-3, 7-5
3. Kristof Minarik (WICH) def. Julien Penzlin (POR) 7-6 (8), 6-2
4. Luka Mrsic (WICH) def. Nikolas Tvedt (POR) 6-4, 3-6, 6-1
5. Jackie Lin (WICH) vs. Oscar Brown (POR) 7-6 (5), 3-6, 3-1 unfinished
6. Ray Lo (WICH) vs. Nicolas Ocana (POR) 6-2 unfinished

Doubles
1. Mrsic/Acevedo (WICH) def. Pankin/Neos (POR) 6-4
2. Penzlin/Tvedt (POR) def. Lin/Ovil (WICH) 6-4
3. Minarik/Alex Richards (WICH) def. Ocana/Brown (POR) 6-4

Team Records
Portland 0-2
Wichita State 4-1
Order of Finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (1,3,4,2)