CEDAR CITY, Utah – The Portland State men's tennis team embarked on its final road trip of the 2013 season on Thursday and got off to a great start, tallying a 7-0 win over Big Sky opponent, Southern Utah, on Friday afternoon in Cedar City, Utah. The Viks went a perfect nine-for-nine between singles and doubles improving to 8-12 overall and 2-7 in the Big Sky.
 
For the eighth time in the last nine matches the Portland State doubles teams took the doubles point after a dominating three-match sweep.
 
It started on court No. 3 as the model of perfection this season, Abhinav Mishra and Alec Marx improved to 9-0, defeating Russ Christensen and Branden Olcott, 8-2.
 
Antoine Bechmann and Ian Risenhoover clinched the doubles point for the Vikings on court No. 2 as the tandem downed Alex Dial and Spencer Nielsen, 8-2, improving to 8-2 overall as a doubles team this season.
 
Portland State completed the sweep on court No. 1 as the newly formed team of Connor Gilmore and Lukas Kortus defeated Troy Benson and Bryton Wells, 8-4.
 
The Viks continued its success in singles action taking all six courts in convincing fashion.
 
It was the backend of the lineup that got the job done early for the Viks as both senior Zach Lubek and freshman Risenhoover tallied the first two singles victories of the contest.
 
From line No. 6, the crafty senior added another win to his career total, making quick work of Olcott, in straight sets, 6-0, 6-0, as Lubek improved his team-best winning percentage to .857, also improving to 6-1 on the year.
 
Risenhoover also got on board with a win, rolling to a straight set, 6-0, 6-0 victory from line No. 5, defeating Neilsen. With the win the freshman improved to 3-3 and is now 2-1 in the Big Sky having taken down players from the two newcomers to the conference, North Dakota and now Southern Utah.
 
With the Vikings up 3-0 in the match it was Kortus who sealed the victory for Portland State. Kortus defeated Wells, 6-0, 6-1 from line No. 2 to give PSU the necessary four points for its eighth win of the season.
 
Portland State didn't stop there however as they took the final three singles matches as well.
 
Bechmann was next to secure a win, defeating Benson, 6-3, 6-0 to improve to 7-10 from the No. 1 spot this season.
 
Mishra made it 6-0 in favor of PSU from line No. 3 as he took down Dial, 6-3, 6-3, while Marx completed the singles sweep from court No. 4 as he earned his third career division I victory, and third win this season, defeating Christensen, 6-3, 6-3.
 
The Viks have one final match in their 2013 season as the team travels to Flagstaff, Ariz., to take on Northern Arizona on Sunday. Match time still to be determined since the match will be moved inside due to outdoor court conflicts. Check back to Goviks.com for an update on Sunday's time.
 
 
 
 
Portland State 7, Southern Utah University 0
Apr 19, 2013 at Cedar City, Utah (Thunderbird Tennis Courts) 

Singles competition

1. BECHMANN, Antaoine (PSU) def. BENSON, Troy (SUU) 6-3, 6-0

2. KORTUS, Lukas (PSU) def. WELLS, Bryton (SUU) 6-0, 6-1

3. MISHRA, Abhinav (PSU) def. DIAL, Alex (SUU) 6-3, 6-3

4. MARX, Alec (PSU) def. CHRISTENSEN, Russ (SUU) 6-3, 6-3

5. RISENHOOVER, Ian (PSU) def. NIELSEN, Spencer (SUU) 6-0, 6-0

6. LUBEK, Zach (PSU) def. OLCOTT, Branden (SUU) 6-0, 6-0

 

Doubles competition

1. GILMORE, Connor/KORTUS, Lukas (PSU) def. BENSON, Troy/WELLS, Bryton (SUU) 8-4

2. BECHMANN, Antaoine/RISENHOOVER, Ian (PSU) def. DIAL, Alex/NIELSEN, Spencer (SUU) 8-2

3. MISHRA, Abhinav/MARX, Alec (PSU) def. CHRISTENSEN, Russ/OLCOTT, Branden (SUU) 8-2

 

Match Notes

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