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"Let's Go Vikings!" chants were heard by all today at the Portland State home tennis court at Club Green Meadows as the Vikings took on the Idaho State Bengals in a Big Sky Conference dual match. After hours of tight competition, the Vikings fell to the Bengals in a close match, 4-3.
 
Leading 1-0 after securing the doubles point, the Vikings entered their singles matches with an advantage. Portland State's Alli Valk and Taylor Rees recorded the first win in doubles for the Vikings, beating Idaho State's Megan Poe and Angela Walker, 6-3, at line two. Eszter Zador and Siena Peri followed shortyly with their own 6-3 win at No. 1 doubles, beating Idaho State's twin-sister team of Huibre-Mare Botes and Louise-Mare Botes.
 
The emphasis of the doubles point was stressed as the Bengal's were able to comeback with three strong singles victories tying the overall match score 3-3. "Two big key points unfortunately went Idaho States way when they took the wins at [No.] 1 and [No.] 2 and pulling that first set out at line 6," said Head Coach Jay Sterling after the match.
 
Portland State's singles match victories came from Siena Peri and Taylor Rees, adding two points to the Vikings overall score after doubles. Peri only dropped one game to Idaho State's Melissa Coburn at No. 3 singles, beating her 6-1, 6-0. Rees didn't match that level of dominance, but still won in straight sets while topping Walker 6-4, 6-4 at line five.
 
After being out of competition for the past two weeks, Peri talked on her experience on the court saying, "It felt nice to come in and play doubles with Eszter even though we haven't practiced together much. It was really nice to go into singles with no pressure, go out swinging and just play loose. It helped my game come together, especially after the doubles win."
 
As Idaho State worked their way back into the match, the deciding match fell to line six where Ashley Knecht was battling with the Bengals' Madison Fenske. Knecht battled back from a 5-0 deficit in the first set, but then lost, 5-7. Knecht couldn't fend off Fenske in the second set either, losing 2-6.
 
"I'm really proud of Ashley. It's tough because unlike other people as the match is going on they don't really know [what to expect] but she knows exactly what's coming on. She doesn't have a lot of experience in that position but I think she handled it really well coming back from 5-love in the first set," added Coach Sterling.
 
Tomorrow, the Vikings take on the University of Washington Huskies at 3 p.m. in Seattle, Wash.
 
Idaho State 4, Portland State 3
Feb 24, 2018 at Vancouver, Wash. (Club Green Meadows) 

Singles competition

1. BOTES, Huibre-Mare (ISU) def. VALK, Alli (PSU) 6-2, 6-2

2. BOTES, Louise-Mare (ISU) def. ZADOR, Eszter (PSU) 6-3, 6-4

3. PERI, Siena (PSU) def. COBURN, Melissa (ISU) 6-1, 6-0

4. POE, Megan (ISU) def. UPENIECE, Gerda (PSU) 6-1, 6-1

5. REES, Taylor (PSU) def. WALKER, Angela (ISU) 6-4, 6-4

6. FENSKE, Madison (ISU) def. KNECHT, Ashley (PSU) 7-5, 6-2

 

Doubles competition

1. PERI, Siena/ZADOR, Eszter (PSU) def. BOTES, Huibre-Mare/BOTES, Louise-Mare (ISU) 6-3

2. VALK, Alli/REES, Taylor (PSU) def. POE, Megan/WALKER, Angela (ISU) 6-3

3. UPENIECE, Gerda/KNECHT, Ashley (PSU) vs. FENSKE, Madison/COBURN, Melissa (ISU) 6-5, unfinished

 

Match Notes

Idaho State 2-5, 1-0 BSC

Portland State 0-6, 0-3 BSC

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