MALIBU, Calif. – The Portland men's tennis team pushed No. 42 Pepperdine before falling 4-2 on the road Monday. The Pilots fall to 9-8 overall and 3-4 in WCC matches, while the Waves improve to 11-10 and 5-1 in league play.

Despite dropping the doubles point to open the match, Portland put itself in position to pull off the upset with strong singles play.

Pepperdine went up 3-0 with straight set wins at the No. 2 and No. 3 singles positions, but the four remaining singles matches all went three sets. Maxim Groysman put the Pilots on the board with 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 win against Zach Stephens at No. 4 singles. Freshman Stefan Skobelev then defeated Photos Photiades 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 at No. 6 to make it 3-2.

Oscar Brown battled No. 46 ranked Edward Winter at the top of the order, but came up short in a 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 decision to clinch it for the Waves. Portland sophomore Nikola Keremedchiev was tied 3-3 in the third set at No. 5 against Robert Shelton when the match was abandoned.

"I was proud of our effort today," Portland head coach Aaron Gross said. "We have been beaten the last couple times out by good teams and Pepperdine obviously is a good team, but the guys stepped up to the challenge today. Collectively it was the best that our four through six have played this season in a match. Max has been incredibly consistent lately and our younger guys have put together some good moments. Stefan was tough today. Looking back it would've been nice to have gotten that doubles point, but I think today's effort is a good sign for us to finish strong down the stretch."

The Pilots will conclude the regular season at home Friday against the Santa Clara Broncos with a 10 a.m. start.

#42 Pepperdine 4, Portland 2
Malibu, Calif. (Ralph-Strauss Tennis Complex)
April 15, 2024

Singles
1. #46 Winter,Edward (PEPP) def. Oscar Brown (PORT) 6-3, 5-7, 6-2
2. #121 Fellin,Pietro (PEPP) def. Nicolas Ocana (PORT) 6-2, 6-2
3. Davis,George (PEPP) def. Luka Vukovic (PORT) 6-3, 6-3
4. Maxim Groysman (PORT) def. Stephens,Zach (PEPP) 4-6, 6-1, 6-2
5. Shelton,Robert (PEPP) vs. Nikola Keremedchiev (PORT) 6-4, 5-7, 3-3, unfinished
6. Stefan Skobelev (PORT) def. Photiades,Photos (PEPP) 6-2, 4-6, 6-4

Doubles
1. Fellin,Pietro/Winter,Edward (PEPP) def. Luka Vukovic/Nikolas Tvedt (PORT) 6-1
2. Davis,George/Photiades,Photos (PEPP) def. Nicolas Ocana/Nikola Keremedchiev (PORT) 6-3
3. Oscar Brown/Stefan Skobelev (PORT) def. Papa,Christopher/Stephens,Zach (PEPPM) 6-3

Match Notes:
Portland 9-8 (3-4 WCC)
Pepperdine 11-10 (5-1 WCC); National ranking #42
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (3,2,4,6,1) 
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