PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland women's tennis fell just short of a three-match Bay Area road sweep after dropping a 4-3 heartbreaker to Saint Mary's on Monday at Korth Tennis Complex.

The Pilots (9-8, 2-2 WCC) defeated Santa Clara on Thursday and San Francisco on Saturday and positioned themselves for another win, but couldn't get over the hump against the Gaels (10-4, 3-0).

Portland grabbed the early lead by claiming the doubles point after Iva Zelic and Sally Pethybridge won 6-0 at No. 1 doubles and Alaia Rubio Perez and Rimona Rouf clinched with a 6-2 win at No. 3.

Pethybridge then defeated MiaAngelina Ruja at No. 2 singles by a 7-6, 6-2 margin, but Saint Mary's earned straight set wins at the No. 3, No. 4 and No. 6 positions to go ahead 3-2 in the match.

Zelic came back to defeat Iman Khan 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 at the top of the lineup and the deciding point came down to No. 5 singles with Rouf facing Olivia Rook. Rouf dropped the opening set, but won the second 6-3 before falling 6-4 in a close final set.

Both of Portland's WCC losses have come down to the final singles match, while four of the team's eight losses were by a 4-3 margin this season.

The Pilots will return home to host four consecutive WCC matches to conclude the regular season beginning with LMU at the Louisiana-Pacific Tennis Center on Saturday at 10 a.m.

Saint Mary's 4, Portland 3
Moraga, Calif. (Korth Tennis Complex)
April 1, 2024

Singles
1. Iva Zelic (POR) def. Iman Khan (SMC) 5-7, 6-3, 6-2
2. Sally Pethybridge (POR) def. MiaAngelina Ruja (SMC) 7-6, 6-2
3. Juliette Daries (SMC) def. Alaia Rubio Perez (POR) 6-2, 7-5
4. Stefanie Silva (SMC) def. Aleksandra Dimitrijevic (POR) 6-3, 6-1
5. Olivia Rook (SMC) def. Rimona Rouf (POR) 6-2, 3-6, 6-4
6. Sofia Daryaie (SMC) def. Meagan Pearson (POR) 7-5, 6-3

Doubles
1. Zelic/Pethybridge (POR) def. Khan/Rook (SMC) 6-0
2. Ruja/Daries (SMC) def. Dimitrijevic/Pearson (POR) 6-1
3. Rubio Perez/Rouf (POR) def. Silva/Daryaie (SMC) 6-2

Match Notes:
Portland 9-8, 2-2 WCC
Saint Mary's 10-4, 3-0 WCC
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (4,2,3,6,1,5)
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