RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The Portland State women's tennis team battled its way to a 4-3 win over UC Riverside on Monday afternoon at the SRC Tennis Courts. The Vikings improved to 4-3 while the Highlanders dropped to 1-2 on the year.

"Its been a week full of adversity and I'm very proud of the way our players stuck together and gave it everything they had today," Viking head coach Kyle Russell said.

Despite a few last-minute lineup changes, the Vikings put together a pair of doubles wins to secure the opening point. Playing at the top spot for the first time this season, Nell Arendt and Emily Rees defeated Maya Youssef and Niki Shahbazi 6-2. Nika Beukers and Makoto Ohara clinched the point for PSU with a 6-3 victory over Brionna Nguyen and Sofia Lazzaroni.

The Vikings needed three singles victories in order to win the match, and they did just that. Freshman Elizabeth Strongina picked up her first career win at the No. 1 spot, defeating Youssef 6-2, 6-2. Pulling the Vikings within one point of a win, Ohara edged out Shahbazi 6-2, 7-5 at the No. 5 position. It was Beukers at No. 4 who clinched the victory for PSU, battling her way to a three-set comeback win over Lazzaroni at No. 4 (2-6, 7-5, 7-5).

"We had a great team win today," Beukers said following the match. "I haven't been able to play my best tennis this season so to get the clinch for us is a big confidence booster for my game. It's great to go back to Portland with a win!"

Portland State will return to action at the Tualatin Hills Tennis Center this Friday, Feb. 10 against Nevada (10am).