STANFORD, Calif. – The Portland State women's tennis team finished competition at the ITA Women's Northwest Regional Championship hosted by Stanford with several early wins in the opening round.
 
"I was very happy with the way the team competed in the regional," said Head Coach Kyle Russell. "Everything has been happening on the fly but the girls have responded very well."
 
The tournament began with doubles as Lotti Meszaros and Nina Nikitovic played a close match against a duo from Washington, losing 8-6 while Emily Rees and Alli Valk nearly took a match from the University of San Francisco's Amber Del Rosario and Alexa Meyer, falling just shot 8-7 (3).
 
The Vikings picked up three wins in the singles draw on the opening day as Valk started with a decisive 6-1, 6-4 victory over Santa Clara opponent Katya Tabachnik.
 
Meszaros also found a win against Santa Clara but needed a little more work, coming back to win 4-6, 6-3, 7-5. The final win on day one came from Nikitovic who turned in the most dominating performance, winning 6-1, 6-1 against Taylor Lallas of Stanford.
 
"We had some good tight matches and came out on the winning side of many of them. It was nice to get a few wins in the first round especially since we only got one time to hit outdoors," said Russell. "They are learning quickly and ahead of the curve for where I wanted them to be this early."
 
Portland State grabbed up another win on day two as Gerda Upeniece held on to defeat Seattle's Martina Asciuto 7-6 (5), 6-2 to finish the tournament 1-1 in singles.
 
The Vikings will have a long break in action as they return for the start of the regular season for a dual meet against Washington on Saturday, Jan. 11.
 
TOURNAMENT RESULTS:
DAY ONE:
DOUBLES:
Vanessa Wong/Natsuho Arakawa (UW) def. Jacinta Milenkoski/Gerda Upeniece (PSU) 8-0
Ashley Chang/Delara Zamani (UW) def. Lotti Meszaros/Nina Nikitovic (PSU) 8-6
Amber Del Rosario/Alexa Meyer (USF) def. Emily Rees/Alli Valk (PSU) 8-7 (3)
 
SINGLES:
Klara Kosan (UOP) def. Eszter Zador (PSU) 6-0, 6-2
Alli Valk (PSU) def. Katya Tabachnik (SCC) 6-1, 6-4
Lotti Meszaros (PSU) def. Madison Clarke (SCC) 4-6, 6-3, 7-5
Nadine DelCarmen (SCC) def. Gerda Upeniece (PSU) 2-6, 6-2, 6-0
Nina Nikitovic (PSU) def. Taylor Lallas (STAN) 6-1, 6-1
Marta Heinen (EWU) def. Emily Rees (PSU) 6-2, 6-4
Haruna Tsuruta (GU) def. Jacinta Milenkoski (PSU) 6-0, 6-0
No. 54 Vanessa Wong (UW) def. Alli Valk (PSU) 6-1, 6-1
Haley Giavara (CAL) def. Lotti Meszaros (PSU) 6-4, 6-4
 
DAY TWO:
SINGLES:
Deniza Marcinkevica (FSU) def. Lotti Meszaros (PSU) 6-2, 4-6, 1-0 (2)
Hannah Gianan (SU) def. Eszter Zador (PSU) 6-1, 7-6 (7)
Tsveti Yotova (SAC) def. Emily Rees (PSU) 6-1, 6-4
Gerda Upeniece (PSU) def. Martina Asciuto (SU) 7-6 (5), 6-2