VANCOUVER, Wash. – Playing in the first home dual of the season, the Portland State women's tennis team picked up a 6-1 win over South Dakota as the Vikings swept all six singles matches at the Vancouver Tennis Center on Friday afternoon.
 
With their first win of the season, the Vikings improve to 1-2 on the season while South Dakota drops to 0-3.
 
"Playing at home is a really big thing, we had so many people cheering for us and we all felt really comfortable today," said captain Alli Valk. "You saw some early nerves but that all went away and everyone played so well."
 
South Dakota took an early point, winning two doubles matches by a score of 7-5. In the number one spot, Alli Valk and Nina Nikitovic took an early 3-2 lead in sets before a comeback by the Coyotes. On court three, Jacinta Milenkoski and Eszter Zador also took an early lead at 3-2 before South Dakota secured the point.
 
In the third doubles match, Emily Rees and Lotti Meszaros fell behind 5-2 before storming back to tie the match at 5-5 before it went unfinished as South Dakota claimed the doubles point.
 
"In doubles, everything was so close and if you let that get to you, you're not going to come out strong in singles, but all of us did a really good job in saying what we can improve on we snapped out of it," added Valk. "We knew we were going to be able to battle in singles."
 
In singles play, Meszaros was the first to finish in the No. 2 spot, firing shots down the line as she won the first set 6-1 before closing out with a 6-2 win to get the Vikings on the board. She is now 1-2 in dual matches on the season.
 
Finishing second was Milenkoski who jumped ahead with a 6-1 victory in the opening set before South Dakota's Jana Lazarevic kept things close in the second set. Ahead 5-4, Milenkoski gave the Vikings the lead in the dual, closing out her second set 6-4.
 
Also finishing in straight sets was Nikitovic who defeated Berta Girbau playing in the No. 3 spot, winning 6-1, 6-4 while Zador sealed the victory after battling to a tough 7-5 win in the opening set before winning 6-1 to close out the match.
 
With the dual already decided Valk and Gerda Upeniece added two more wins for the Vikings with Valk winning 6-2, 6-3 while Upeniece tallied her second straight victory, winning 3-6, 6-0, 1-0 (10-8).
 
The Vikings take the next week off before returning to action as they face cross-town rival Portland on Friday, Feb. 14.
 
RESULTS:
DOUBLES:
Jana Lazarevic/Berta Girbau (SD) def. Nina Nikitovic/Alli Valk (PSU) 7-5
Lotti Meszaros/Emily Rees (PSU) vs. Natka Kmoskova/Nanette Nylund (SD) 5-5, unfinished
Habiba Aly/Agustina Diaz (SD) def. Eszter Zador/Jacinta Milenkoski (PSU) 7-5
 
SINGLES:
Jacinta Milenkoski (PSU) def. Jana Lazarevic (SD) 6-1, 6-4
Lotti Meszaros (PSU) def. Habiba Aly (SD) 6-1, 6-2
Nina Nikitovic (PSU) def. Berta Girbau (SD) 6-1, 6-4
Eszter Zador (PSU) def. Nanette Nylund (SD) 7-5, 6-2
Alli Valk (PSU) def. Agustina Diaz (SD) 6-2, 6-3
Gerda Upeniece (PSU) def. Eesha Varma (SD) 3-6, 6-0, 1-0 (10-8)