Box Score MILWAUKEE, Wisc. – University of Portland women's tennis players Iva Zelic and Sally Pethybridge teamed up to reach the doubles semifinals at the prestigious Milwaukee Tennis Classic last weekend. Both players also picked up singles wins in a loaded field of top-tier players.

The duo opened the tournament against the North Texas tandem of Matilde Morais and Jasmine Adams and won the final three games for a 6-3 victory. Zelic and Pethybridge then defeated a pair from the defending NCAA runner-up Oklahoma Sooners in Emma Staker and Dana Guzman by a 7-5 margin. The run came to an end against the top-seeded USC's doubles team of Madison Sieg and Naomi Cheong who would go on to win the title.

Zelic posted a 6-3, 6-2 opening round singles win over Navy's Emily Tannenbaum before dropping a three-setter to Liz Norman of Purdue. After Zelic took the first set in a tiebreaker, Norman won the second set and advanced to the quarterfinals via third set super tiebreaker. Zelic lost a 6-3, 6-2 decision to Victoria Smirnova from VCU on Saturday.

Pethybridge dropped a hard-fought opening round match to Alex Staiculescu of Indiana in three sets. She lost the opening set before taking the second by a 6-3 margin. Pethybridge jumped out to an early lead in third set super tiebreaker, but Staiculescu won by a 10-7 margin. Pethybridge bounced back for an impressive 6-3, 6-2 consolation singles win against Emma Kojcic of Marquette and closed the tournament with a 6-3, 6-2 loss to Chie Kezuka of Iowa State.

Portland will continue its fall schedule this weekend at the Gonzaga Invitational which will feature the host Bulldogs, Washington State and New Mexico.

Milwaukee Tennis Classic
Milwaukee, Wisc. (Wisconsin Country Club)
Sept. 16-18, 2022

Singles
32 #110 Iva Zelic (POR) def. Emily Tannenbaum (NAVY) 6-2, 6-3
32 Alex Staiculescu (IND) def. Sally Pethybridge (POR) 6-1, 3-6, 10-7
16 Liz Norman (PUR) def. #110 Zelic (POR) 6-7, 6-3, 10-1
C Pethybridge (POR) def. Emma Kojcic (MARQ) 6-3, 6-2
C Chie Kezuka (ISU) def. Pethybridge (POR) 6-3, 6-2
C Victoria Smirnova (VCU) def. #110 Zelic (POR) 6-3, 6-2

Doubles
16 Zelic/Pethybridge (POR) def. Matilde Morais/Jasmine Adams (UNT) 6-3
QF Zelic/Pethybridge (POR) def. Emma Staker/Dana Guzman (OKLA) 7-5
SF Madison Sieg/Naomi Cheong (USC) def. Zelic/Pethybridge (POR) 6-3