Box Score MORAGA, Calif. – The Portland men's tennis team earned a 5-2 victory on the road against Saint Mary's on Friday in West Coast Conference action. The Pilots improve to 10-8 overall and 4-3 in WCC play, while the Gaels fall to 4-12 and 3-4 in league matches.

Portland claimed the doubles point with narrow wins at the No. 2 and No. 3 positions. Cade Fernando and Issa Yoshida earned 6-4 win at No. 3 and then Nicolas Ocana and Nikolas Tvedt clinched with a 7-6 victory at No. 2.

Maxim Groysman earned Portland's second point with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Filipe Rincon at No. 5, but the Gaels quickly tied it win straight set wins at No. 3 and No. 4.

Neos knocked off Diego Jarry 7-5, 6-4 at No. 2 and then Pankin and Yoshida provided the final points. Pankin defeated James Watt 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 at the top of the lineup and Yoshida beat Caelan Potts 7-5, 6-3 at No. 6.

"It was a very cool day for the seniors," Portland head coach Aaron Gross said. "Issa, Sema and Lefty all won their matches within about one minute of each other to clinch a big road win for us. That's one of those stories that you can't make up. We squeaked through the doubles, which was important, and then Max got us out in front early. The remaining matches were all tight right until the end."

The Pilots are now well-positioned for a spot in the upcoming WCC Championships as the top six teams in the standings qualify. Portland concludes the weekend at Pacific on Saturday at 2 p.m.

"I think we were hoping for a split down here and I'd like to think we might want to try and get a little greedy and see if we can get one tomorrow as well," Gross said. "I think we're capable of it, we just need to be healthy and recovered and give it a shot."
 
Portland 5, Saint Mary's 2
Moraga, Calif. (Korth Tennis Complex)
April 14, 2023

Singles
1. #100 Sema Pankin (POR) def. James Watt (SMC) 6-2, 4-6, 6-4
2. Eleftherios Neos (POR) def. Diego Jarry (SMC) 7-5, 6-4
3. Carlos Ramos (SMC) def. Nicolas Ocana (POR) 6-1, 6-4
4. Mathis Moysan (SMC) def. Nikolas Tvedt (POR) 6-0, 6-3
5. Maxim Groysman (POR) def. Felipe Rincon (SMC) 6-1, 6-2
6. Issa Yoshida (POR) def. Caelan Potts (SMC) 7-5, 6-3

Doubles
1. Watt/Ramos (SMC) def. Neos/Pankin (POR) 6-4
2. Ocana/Tvedt (POR) def. Potts/Jarry (SMC) 7-6
3. Cade Fernando/Yoshida (POR) def. Rincon/Moysan (SMC) 6-4

Match Notes
Portland 10-8, 4-3 WCC
Saint Mary's 4-12, 3-4 WCC
Order of Finish: Singles (5,4,3,2,6,1), Doubles (1,3,2)