BOX SCORE - PDF | HTML

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland State men's tennis team dropped a non-conference match against regional rival Eastern Washington 5-2 Saturday at West Hills Racket and Fitness Club.
 
Despite the loss, the match represented an improvement over the Vikings' season opener Friday, when the Vikings lost 7-0 to No. 52 Oregon.
 
"Tonight was a big improvement for our young team," said PSU head coach Toby Krauel. "I am impressed with their continued improvement over the course of these early matches."
 
Eastern Washington took control of the match early by winning the doubles point, though Portland State took one of the three doubles matches as freshman Kacper Stelmaszak and junior Alec Marx beat EWU's Aaron Lince and Matt Boyle 6-3 at No. 3 doubles.
 
Stelmaszak and Marx also each won their respective singles matches, but Eastern Washington took the other four to seal the win at 5-2. Both players' singles wins proved two of the most competitive matches of the day, as each went past two sets. Marx came back from a set down to beat Stefan Farrar 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 at No. 6 singles, while Stelmaszak beat Luke Thompson 6-3, 5-6 (5), 10-3 at No. 3 singles.
 
Besides Marx, junior Brent Wheeler, playing at No. 1 in singles and doubles for the second straight match, lost a tight match against EWU's Robert Dula 6-4, 6-4. Sophomore Wil Cochrane, meanwhile, played at No. 2 singles for the second straight match, but fell 6-3, 6-4 to EWU's Eduardo Bringold. Additionally, freshman Jonathan Pike lost 6-0, 6-5 (0) to EWU's Matth Boyle.
 
Sophomore Ian Risenhoover was up 4-3 in the first set of his match against Wacil Bendjelti at No. 4 singles, but was forced to retire.
 
In doubles, Wheeler and Risenhoover lost a tight match to Dula and Bringold, 6-5, at No. 1 doubles, while Cochrane and Pike lost 6-3 to Thompson and Bendjelti.
 
The Vikings return to action Sunday, Feb. 2, with a home match against Idaho at 10 a.m. (PT) at Club Green Meadows in Vancouver, Wash.



Eastern Washington 5, Portland State 2
Jan 18, 2014 at Portland, Ore. (West Hills Racket & Fitness Club)

Singles competition

1. DULA, Robert (EWUM) def. WHEELER, Brent (PSU) 6-4, 6-4

2. BRINGOLD, Eduardo (EWUM) def. COCHRANE, Wil (PSU) 6-3, 6-4

3. STELMASZAK, Kacper (PSU) def. THOMPSON, Luke (EWUM) 6-3, 5-6, 10-3

4. BENDJELTI, Wacil (EWUM) def. RISENHOOVER, Ian (PSU) 3-4, retired

5. BOYLE, Matt (EWUM) def. PIKE, Jonathan (PSU) 6-0, 6-5

6. MARX, Alec (PSU) def. FARRAR, Stefan (EWUM) 4-6, 6-4, 6-1

Doubles competition

1. DULA, Robert/BRINGOLD, Eduardo (EWUM) def. WHEELER, Brent/RISENHOOVER, Ian (PSU) 6-5

2. THOMPSON, Luke/BENDJELTI, Wacil (EWUM) def. COCHRANE, Wil/PIKE, Jonathan (PSU) 6-3

3. MARX, Alec/STELMASZAK, Kacper (PSU) def. LINCE, Aaron/BOYLE, Matt (EWUM) 6-3

Match Notes

Eastern Washington 2-1

Portland State 0-2