The Portland State women’s tennis team has had a tough couple of weeks.
Since mid-March, the Vikings have lost four matches following a road trip to California just before the spring break. Portland State lost to Big Sky opponent Sacramento State and non-conference rival UC Davis in California on March 11–12.
The Vikings followed it up with a loss against Gonzaga at the Irvington Club on March 20 before losing another conference matchup to Montana State at the Club Green Meadows on Sunday.
The Portland State women are now 2–13 this season and resting at the bottom of the Big Sky standings with a 0–5 conference record. At this stage last season, the Viks were 5–14 in the regular season and 1–6 in the Big Sky.
“I know the women’s team haven’t done as well this year as the men’s team, but I’m very impressed with what they’ve done,” interim head coach Jay Sterling said in a statement released by the school. “The team captain goes away, the coach resigns, the injuries—there are lots of excuses to lose, lots of reasons to give up and lots of excuses to choose to fail. They haven’t done that.”
The Viks took on Sacramento State after recording their second win of the season against Lewis & Clark, but Portland State could not sustain their winning momentum and fell to the Hornets, 7-0.
In the rain-delayed encounter against UC Davis, the Vikings lost all their singles encounters and went down to the Aggies, 6-0.
In their only match last weekend against Gonzaga, the Vikings showed some resilience in the doubles matches but could not keep it up in the singles competition as they fell to the Bulldogs 7-0.
In Sunday’s contest against Montana State, the Viks were once again competitive in the doubles games but were whitewashed in the singles and lost the match 7-0. Junior Anya Dalkin, playing at the No. 1 singles slot, was the only player who managed to extend her match to the third set against the Bobcats.
Up next for the Portland State women is Pac-10 competitor Washington State on Friday. First serve is set for 3 p.m. at the Club Green Meadows in Vancouver, Wash.
Sacramento State 7, Portland State 0
Doubles:
1. Kapshai/Tsan (Sac) def. Dalkin/Stocking (PSU) 8-1
2. Delgado/Baca (Sac) def. Vadali/Pellicano (PSU) 8-2
3. Zivanovic/Nazarova (Sac) def. Gleason/McClaran (PSU) 8-3
Singles:
1. Tatsiana Kapshai (Sac) def. Anya Dalkin (PSU) 6-3, 6-2
2. Rebeca Delgado (Sac) def. Caitlin Stocking (PSU) 6-0, 6-2
3. Clarisse Baca (Sac) def. Tara Vadali (PSU) 6-0, 6-1
4. Aileen Tsan (Sac) def. Marti Pellicano (PSU) 6-3, 6-1
5. Zalina Nazarova (Sac) def. Kylea Gleason (PSU) 6-0, 6-1
6. Milica Zivanovic (Sac) def. Emily McClaran (PSU) 6-1, 6-0
UC Davis 6, Portland State 0
Singles:
1. Dahra Zamudio (UCD) def. Anya Dalkin (PSU), 6-2,6-1.
2. Herzl Legaspi (UCD) def. Caitlin Stocking (PSU), 6-2, 6-2.
3. Lauren Curry (UCD) def. Tara Vadali (PSU), 6-1,6-2.
4. Ellie Edles (UCD) def. Marti Pellicano (PSU), 6-1,6-0.
5. Shawdee Rouhafza (UCD) def. Kylea Gleason (PSU), 6-0,6-1.
6. Noelle Eades (UCD) def. Emily McClaran (PSU), 6-0,6-0.
Gonzaga 7, Portland State 0
Doubles:
1. Mehndiratta/Farmer def Stocking/Dalkin – 8-4
2. Dodge/Zauere def Vadali/Pellicano – 8-4
3. Lantta/Tabb def Gleason/McClaran – 8-1
Order of finish:
3, 2, 1
Singles:
1. Rika Mehndiratta (GU) def Caitlin Stocking (PSU) 6-0, 6-2
2. Kristina Zauere (GU) def Anya Dalking (PSU) 6-2, 6-2
3. Prue Teitzel (GU) def Tara Vadali (PSU) 6-2, 6-0
4. Danielle Farmer (GU) def Kylea Gleason (PSU) 6-2, 6-2
5. Clare Dodge(GU) def Marti Pellicano (PSU) 6-2, 6-1
6. Sophie Lantta (GU) def Emily McClaran (PSU) 6-0, 6-1
Montana State 7, Portland State 0
Doubles:
1. Griffin/Villegas (MSU) def. Dalkin/Stocking (PSU) 8-4
2. Pellicano/Vadali (PSU) def. Coll/De La Torre (MSU) 8-2
3. Hjalmarsson/Fairbotham (MSU) def. McClaran/Gleason (PSU) Hjalmarsson 8-1
Singles:
1. Ali Griffin (MSU) def. Anya Dalkin (PSU) 6-0, 0-6, 6-2
2. Laura Villegas (MSU) def. Caitlin Stocking (PSU) 6-0, 6-0
3. Charlotta Hjalmarsson (MSU) def. Tara Vadali (PSU) 6-3, 6-1
4. Andrea De La Torre (MSU) def. Marti Pellicano (PSU) 6-4, 6-0
5. Jennifer Coll (MSU) def. Emily McClaran (PSU) 6-1, 6-0
6. Lucy Fairbotham (MSU) def. Kylea Gleason (PSU) 6-3, 6-4