STOCKTON, Calif. – Portland men's tennis fell to Pacific by a 4-2 margin in the West Coast Conference opener for both schools Saturday at Eve Zimmerman Tennis Center.

The Tigers (7-10) swept all three doubles matches to take the early lead.

The Pilots (5-9) battled back in singles to make it interesting. Nikola Keremedchiev and Tannor Binder won in straight sets at No. 1 and No. 5 singles respectively. Pacific earned another point at No. 3 singles. Stefan Skobelev was leading 3-0 in his third set at No. 4, but the Tigers clinched with three-set wins at No. 2 and No. 6.

"We played hard today," Portland head coach Aaron Gross said. "It was a good performance considering we're missing one of our top guys. Several places I think we could have gotten over the hump, but a very tough road environment combined with being a little bit shorthanded just put it out of reach."

The Pilots were without redshirt junior Cade Fernando, who has been dominant at No. 1 doubles and No. 3 singles this Spring.

Portland will continue WCC action next week at home against No. 18 San Diego Friday at 10 a.m. The Pilots then welcome No. 39 Santa Clara on Sunday at 10 a.m.

Pacific 4, Portland 2
Stockton, Calif. (Eve Zimmerman Tennis Center)
March 21, 2026

Singles
1. Nikola Keremedchiev (POR) def. Jonty Giesen (PAC) 6-2, 6-3
2. C. Schaerltin Coffey (PAC) def. Tom Garcia (POR) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
3. Terence Das (PAC) def. Lucas Kimelman (POR) 6-3, 7-6
4. Stefan Skobelev (POR) vs. Nico Rating (PAC) 6-7, 7-6, 3-0 unfinished
5. Tannor Binder (POR) def. Reuben De Klerk (PAC) 6-4, 6-4
6. Hasith Gummuluru (PAC) def. Gian Manhas (POR) 6-2, 4-6, 6-1

Doubles
1. Giesen/Rating (PAC) def. Skobelev/Kimelman (POR) 6-2
2. Schaertlin Coffey/De Klerk (PAC) def. Garcia/Eli Noel (POR) 6-4
3. Das/Gummuluru (PAC) def. Keremedchiev/Binder (POR) 6-2

Match Notes:
Portland 5-9, 0-1 WCC
Pacific 7-10, 1-0 WCC

  Get Your Tickets Now!
Secure your spot now for any upcoming Portland Pilots ticketed home event by visiting PortlandPilots.com/Tickets or by downloading the Portland Pilots App.  For group and fan experience package information, email pilotsboxoffice@up.edu.

Donate Today 
Fans interested in making a contribution to University of Portland Athletics can do so by clicking here. Your gift helps our over 300 student-athletes compete at the highest level – on and off the field - in the rapidly changing world of intercollegiate athletics. All gifts to Pilot Athletics are 100% tax deductible.

Follow Along With the Action
Get the latest news and information about your favorite University of Portland athletic programs by visiting PortlandPilots.com. You can also follow along for the most dynamic coverage and team-centric content by following us on Twitter, liking us on Facebook, and following us on Instagram.