PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland State men's tennis team returns home this weekend for a set of dual matches this Friday and Saturday at Club Green Meadows in Vancouver, Wash. The Vikings will open up this two game home stand with Seattle University on Friday starting at 6 p.m. PST. The Vikings will then continue their Big Sky Conference schedule when they host Eastern Washington on Saturday at 12 p.m.
 
The Vikings (0-6 overall, 0-2 BSC) are looking for that all allusive first dual win of the season. They are coming off of a two-loss weekend last weekend in Colorado when they fell to the United States Air Force Academy by a score of 6-1 and then Northern Colorado by a score of 5-2.
 
“We're at the point of the season where each match comes down to a point here or there,” head coach Jay Sterling said. “Out mantra going into the weekend is out compete, out compete, out compete. No individual performance personified that more than what Abhi (Abhinav Mishra) did last weekend.
 
Mishra, playing as the Vikings No. 2 singles player against Northern Colorado, rallied in the second set to win 7-6 in a tiebreaker after being down five games to love in the set. He then went on to take a third set tiebreaker, the dual was already decided so a first to 10 points tiebreaker was played, 10-7.
 
Not only did Mishra come back from down 5-0, he was down to his final point, in that game that would have ended it, but he save seven match points to win his first singles match of the season.
 
The Vikings' chances to win look favorable as the Redhawks (1-6) come to town. They are on a three dual losing streak after winning their lone dual of the season against the College of Idaho. The Redhawks have lost to two other Big Sky opponents in Eastern Washington and Northern Colorado.
 
Eastern Washington (5-2, 2-0) poses a tough challenge for the Vikings on Saturday. The Eagles are on a five dual win streak with Big Sky wins over Northern Colorado and Idaho State by scores of 6-1 and 7-0 respectively. They are 27-13 as a team during the dual season and have only dropped one singles match (11-1) in conference play. They are 12-6 as a team in doubles play and a perfect 6-0 in conference doubles play.
 
Illja Cuic is 4-1 playing as the Eagles No. 1 singles player with his only loss coming at then-No.49 Boise State. He is also 2-2 in doubles play with partner Kyle Koetje with their only losses coming to Boise State and then-No. 64 St. Mary's (Calif.).
 
Following this weekend at home, the Vikings will hit the road again next weekend to take on Montana State – Billings and Montana State March 3 and March 4 respectively. Both matches will be played in Bozeman, Mont.