SEATTLE, Wash. – The Portland men's tennis team swept a quality Belmont Bruins squad 7-0 in the season opener for both programs Friday night at the Nordstrom Tennis Center. The Bruins, selected as the Horizon League Preseason favorite with a trio of all-league selections, went to the NCAA Tournament in 2025 and 2023.

The Pilots pulled out a competitive doubles point that featured two tiebreakers. Portland's No. 3 tandem of Tannor Binder and Lucas Kimelman created an early advantage with a 6-3 victory. Belmont answered with a tiebreak win at No. 1, but the Pilot duo of Tom Garcia and Stefan Skobelev secured the point with a 7-5 tiebreaker win at the No. 2 position.

Skobelev doubled Portland's lead with a 6-0, 6-4 win against Eli Mizerski at No. 5 singles and Nikola Keremedchiev scored a 6-1, 6-4 victory against Sabi Roi at the top of the lineup to make it 3-0.

Garcia provided the clinching point with a 6-1, 6-4 win at No. 2 over Charlie Robin.

The teams played it out and Binder knocked off Morgan Woodson 7-5, 6-4 at No. 6 and Cade Fernando overcame an early second set tiebreaker deficit for a 6-2, 7-6 (10-8) win at No. 3 against Stefan Vedovelli.

Kimelman secured the sweep with a 10-8 super tiebreaker win against Austin Yack at the No. 4 spot.

"I am extremely happy with the effort tonight," Portland head coach Aaron Gross said. "We almost gave away the doubles point but we able to write the ship at some key times. Singles was awesome… We got up on them early at several positions and then got through some tough second sets.

"It was a great way to start the season against a solid team. On paper we are pretty equal in terms of talent, but on the court tonight we were definitely better physically and mentally. It would be hard to single out one player, because everyone really took care of their business tonight."

The Pilots will now head to Eugene, Ore. to take on the Oregon Ducks on Saturday at 5 p.m. Live video and scoring links are available at PortlandPilots.com.

Portland 7, Belmont 0
Seattle, Wash. (Nordstrom Tennis Center)
January 16, 2026

Singles
1. Nikola Keremedchiev (POR) def. Sabi Roi (BEL) 6-1, 6-4
2. Tom Garcia (POR) def. Charlie Robin (BEL) 6-1, 6-4
3. Cade Fernando (POR) def. Stefan Vedovelli (BEL) 6-2, 7-6 (8)
4. Lucas Kimelman (POR) def. Austin Yack (BEL) 6-2, 6-7 (3), 10-8
5. Stefan Skobelev (POR) def. Eli Mizerski (BEL) 6-0, 6-4
6. Tannor Binder (POR) def. Morgan Woodson (BEL) 7-5, 6-4

Doubles
1. Roi/Vedovelli (BEL) def. Keremedchiev/Fernando (POR) 7-6 (3)
2. Garcia/Skobelev (POR) def. Robin/Will Eckland (BEL) 7-6 (5)
3. Binder/Kimelman (POR) def. Yack/Mizerski (BEL) 6-3

Order of Finish: Singles (5,1,2,6,3,4); Doubles (3,1,2)
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