PORTLAND – The Portland State women's tennis team earned a 4-3 victory over Montana on Sunday, improving to 2-0 in Big Sky action.
 
PSU opened conference play this weekend with a lot to prove after being pegged for an eighth-place finish in the Preseason Big Sky Coaches poll. Kyle Russell and his squad did just that, securing their second Big Sky victory of the weekend on Sunday.  
 
Portland State began the day with a doubles sweep. Coasting to a shutout victory were Lotti Meszaros and Emily Rees in the No. 2 spot, while Makoto Ohara And Capu Sanoner got the job done at No. 1, locking in the 6-2 defeat. In search of their sixth-straight victory as a duo, Ashley Ramirez and Gerda Upeniece kept their streak alive, pulling off a 6-4 win on court 3 to complete the sweep.
 
The Grizzlies responded to the sweep, taking a 2-1 advantage following the conclusions of No. 1 and No. 5 singles. Needing a trio of victories to clinch the dual, Ohara was the first to add one for the Vikings with her sixth straight singles win (6-3, 6-3) on court three.
 
Challenged in her second set at the No, 2 spot, Sanoner buckled down earning a 6-2, 7-5 win to pull the Vikings within one.
 
Upeniece sealed the deal for Portland State, notching her first career match-clinching victory to clinch the Vikings second consecutive Big Sky win at 4-3.
 
"Clinching a match against a school like Montana has been a dream of mine since my freshman year," Upeniece said. "I played for my team, and they were there to support me! I'm so grateful to be part of this family, it was an amazing weekend!"
 
The Vikings will return to the court on Monday, March 22 against UC San Diego in their first dual of a four-match stint in California.
 
Singles competition
1. RONNEY, Julia (UM) def. MESZAROS, Lotti (PSU-W) 6-2, 6-1
2. SANONER, Capucine (PSU-W) def. OOSTERBAAN, Olivia (UM) 6-2, 7-5
3. OHARA, Makoto (PSU-W) def. DUNLAP, Lauren (UM) 6-3, 6-3
4. GOHEEN, Maria (UM) def. REES, Emily (PSU-W) 3-6, 6-3, retired
5. MITKOVA, Ivayla (UM) def. RAMIREZ, Ashley (PSU-W) 6-4, 6-1
6. UPENIECE, Gerda (PSU-W) def. WALKER, Alex (UM) 2-6, 6-2, 6-3
 
Doubles competition
1. OHARA, Makoto/SANONER, Capucine (PSU-W) def. RONNEY, Julia/OOSTERBAAN, Olivia (UM) 6-2
2. MESZAROS, Lotti/REES, Emily (PSU-W) def. DUNLAP, Lauren/WALKER, Alex (UM) 6-0
3. UPENIECE, Gerda/RAMIREZ, Ashley (PSU-W) def. GOHEEN, Maria/MITKOVA, Ivayla (UM) 6-4