The Portland State men’s tennis team took the court against George Fox University last Saturday. The competition began with electric doubles play by the Vikings, who prevailed over a determined George Fox team in all three doubles matches. Justin McClain of the Bruins was paired up with Peter Brown to take on the Viking duo of Connor Gilmore and Ian Risenhoover. The Bruins were eager for the challenge.
The Portland State tennis team has just begun a new campaign. The Vikings gained a good deal of experience in a tune-up match against the University of Oregon Ducks to open the season, even though they left without a win. Antoine Bechmann played number one singles versus Oregon native and Cleveland High School product Alex Rovello in what turned out to be a competitive contest. Bechmann was able to break Rovello’s serve a few times and give the former No. 1 Pacific Northwest USTA junior tennis player a tougher-than-expected match.
After a back-to-back matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers last weekend, the Trail Blazers emerged with a 1-1 record. Both teams got the victory in front of their home crowd.
The Portland Trail Blazers have managed to turn what was considered a lost year into a suddenly very promising campaign. Before their recent losing skid, the team was holding steady with a winning record and was firmly situated in the Western Conference playoff standings. The Blazers have been moving gradually up the power rankings and have posted wins this season against the Miami Heat, the Denver Nuggets and the San Antonio Spurs.