PORTLAND – For the first time since 2015, the Portland State women's tennis team will compete for a conference title this weekend at the Big Sky Championship tournament in Phoenix, Ariz. 

After being picked to finish eighth in the Big Sky Preseason Coaches Poll, the six-man Viking squad has spent the past three months stunning the Conference, becoming the first team in program history to open Big Sky play 3-0 with wins over Montana, Montana State, and Idaho. In its final Conference matchup of the year, the Vikings fell in a close 4-3 decision to Eastern Washington which landed them a second-place standing in the North Division with a 9-10 overall record and 3-1 standing in the Big Sky.  

The tournament will take place at the Phoenix Tennis Center in Phoenix, Ariz with the top two seeds from each division competing for the title. Entering as the two seed from the North, the Vikings will take on Northern Arizona who earned the No. 1 seed in the south after going 3-0 in conference play. The semifinal matches will take place at 8 a.m. PT on Saturday. The winners will move on to play in the Championship match slated for Sunday at 8 a.m.

LAST TIME OUT - SENIOR DAY

The Vikings capped off their regular season schedule last weekend with a 7-0 victory over Seattle. The Vikings celebrated the careers of seniors Gerda Upeniece, Ashley Ramirez and Lotti Meszaros following the shutout win.

"Today was about the seniors and what they've somehow managed to accomplish in the most trying of years," Head Coach Kyle Russell said after the dual. "They've done a truly remarkable job of bringing a team together. I couldn't be more proud."

Ramirez noted the importance of the win moving forward saying, "we got to end the regular season on a great note and build momentum heading into the conference tournament. I'm so grateful that I got to have the senior day that I missed out on last year."

DOUBLES MASTERS 

The Vikings have been nearly unstoppable in doubles play all season long, going 11-1 in Conference action while earning the doubles point in their last six matches. 

Despite dealing with injuries midway through the season, Makoto Ohara and Capu Sanoner have been stellar at the No. 1 spot all year for the Vikings. The freshman duo ranks first in the Big Sky with a win percentage of .786 (11-3) and is a perfect 4-0 in Big Sky action. 

Ranking second in the Conference in doubles win percentage (.733, 11-4) is Ramirez and Upeniece who have been dominant in the three spot for the Vikings all season. The duo is 3-1 against Big Sky competition, dropping their only match to Eastern Washington. 

Holding a 9-9 record, No. 2 pair Emily Rees and Meszaros are also undefeated in Big Sky play and have earned victories in four of their last five matchups. 

RECORD BOOKS 

The Vikings' double success has made itself known in the record books so far this season. Sanoner won her 15th doubles match against Seattle last weekend to break the single-season individual doubles win record. Upeniece is 12-4 in doubles action this year as she's currently tied for the all-time record in single-season win percentage at the No. 3 position (.750, 12-4). Upeneice and Ramirez rank second all-time as a team in single-season wins at No. 3 (11). Meszaros and Rees also rank second all-time in single season wins at the two spot with nine. 

SINGLES LEADERS

The Vikings have an overall record of 52-42 in singles action. Earning the majority of her victories at the four spot, Rees leads PSU with a 12-6 record on the year and 3-1 in conference action. With her 10th win at the No. 2 position, Sanoner broke the program record for single-season wins in No. 2 singles. Sanoner will enter Saturday with a perfect 4-0 record against conference opponents. 

QUICK HITS

• This will be the Vikings fourth Championship appearance in program history
• In its last appearance, PSU entered the tournament as the sixth seed before falling in the first round to No. 3 Montana 
• The Vikings have never made the Championship dual, their furthest run came in 2014 before falling in the semifinals 
• The Vikings are just the fourth team to earn at least nine wins in a season since 2000
• Second-year head coach Kyle Russell will coach in his first Big Sky Tournament dual on Saturday
• This is the first time since 2003 that both the men and women have reached the Big Sky tournament in the same season 

THE MATCHUP 

The Lumberjacks enter the tournament sitting at 12-4 overall and 3-0 in conference play. The Vikings fell 6-1 in their last dual against Northern Arizona in 2020. A win on Saturday would be just the second in program history over the Lumberjacks as they lead the series 20-1. 

2021 BIG SKY WOMEN'S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

Semifinals – May 1

Match 1: No. 1 Eastern Washington vs. No. 2 Weber State – 8 a.m. PT

Match 2: No. 1 Northern Arizona vs. No. 2 Portland State – 8 a.m. PT

Championship – May 2

Match 3: Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 2 – 8 a.m. PT