PORTLAND, Ore. – The shorthanded Portland women's tennis team battled but came up short in a tightly-contested 4-2 loss to Saint Mary's on Friday. The Pilots drop to 9-7 overall and 1-4 in the West Coast Conference, while the Gaels improve to 7-9 and 3-3 in league play.

The Pilots were without Sally Pethybridge (ill) who normally occupies a spot in the No. 1 doubles lineup and at No. 2 singles. Portland was still able to salvage the doubles point to grab the early lead. Freshmen Alaia Rubio Perez and Meagan Pearson picked up a 6-4 win at No. 2 and Iva Zelic and Rose Watanabe were up 3-0 at No. 3 when an injury forced a Saint Mary's retirement.

Singles was hard-fought throughout the lineup as five of the six matches went three sets. Saint Mary's tied the overall score with a win at No. 3 by Iman Khan. Zelic then put the Pilots back on top with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 defeat of Jordan Harris at the top of the lineup.

The Gaels evened the score when Lene Mari Hovda outlasted Rimona Rouf by a 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 margin at No. 2 singles. Tian Yu Dong held off Pearson 6-3, 3-6, 6-0 at No. 4 and then Stefanie Silva clinched for Saint Mary's with a 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 win over Rubio Perez at No. 5.

Pilot freshman Kylie Canubida was leading Madison Weekly 1-0 in the third set at No. 6 when the match was clinched.

Portland returns to action at home tomorrow against the Pacific Tigers with a 10 a.m. start at the Louisiana Pacific Tennis Center. Live scoring and video links are available at PortlandPilots.com.

Saint Mary's 4, Portland 2
Portland, Ore. (Louisiana Pacific Tennis Center)
April 14, 2023

Singles
1. Iva Zelic (POR) def. Jordan Harris (SMC) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
2. Lene Mari Hovda (SMC) def. Rimona Rouf (POR) 4-6, 6-3, 7-5
3. Iman Khan (SMC) def. Aleksandra Dimitrijevic (POR) 7-6 (4), 6-2
4. Tian Yu Dong (SMC) def. Meagan Pearson (POR) 6-3, 3-6, 6-0
5. Stefanie Silva (SMC) def. Alaia Rubio Perez (POR) 6-3, 2-6, 7-5
6. Kylie Canubida (POR) vs. Madison Weekley (SMC) 4-6, 6-1, 1-0, unfinished

Doubles
1. Harris/Hovda (SMC) def. Dimitrijevic/Rouf (POR) 6-1
2. Pearson/Rubio Perez (POR) def. Khan/Silva (SMC) 6-4
3. Zelic/Rose Watanabe (POR) def. Dong/Olivia Rook (SMC) 3-0, retired

Match Notes:
Saint Mary's 7-9, 3-3 WCC
Portland 9-7, 1-4 WCC
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (3,1,2,4,5)
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