BEAVERTON, Ore. - The Portland State women's tennis team secured a thrilling 4-3 victory over Montana State in Saturday's conference opener at the Tualatin Hills Tennis Center, thanks to two crucial singles performances in the final stretch.

Securing a victory in the conference opener was pivotal for the Vikings' confidence as they improved to 3-3 on the year and 1-0 in Big Sky play. The Bobcats are now 5-3 (0-1 BSC). 

"This win meant a lot to the team," Viking freshman Scarlett Perkins said. "The team dynamic was really good, especially at the end when it was close. All of us were cheering on Maddie together which created a great atmosphere."

The Vikings showcased numerous qualities on Saturday, but above all, they proved to be resilient, clinching the match with two come-from-behind singles wins. It was a full team effort as all seven Vikings on the roster contributed to the victory. 

"Today was literally the definition of a team win," Head Coach Kyle Russell said. "I'm proud of the way they showed up together, stayed together and finished together. We really appreciate everyone who came out to support us. We had a great crowd backing us throughout the entire match and it made a difference."

Portland State set the tone by clinching the always crucial doubles point to open the day, securing victories in two out of three matches. Makoto Ohara and Elizabeth Strongina were dominant at line three, shutting out Meg McCarty and Andrea Cuquerella 6-0. A Bobcat win on the top court evened things but Nika Beukers and Momoko Yoshimura finished it off for PSU with a 6-2 win over Angel Bean and Jazmin Lerman at line two.

Fueled from the doubles-point loss, the Bobcats won five of six first sets in singles play before taking the lead with back-to-back victories on the top two courts. Perkins, who was the lone Viking to win her opening set, put the Vikings back in business with a commanding 6-4, 6-2 victory over Lerman at line five. 

With just three matches remaining, the Vikings' hopes rested squarely on the shoulders of Ohara, Yoshimura, and Maddie Egan, each of whom was mounting a comeback following second-set victories.

Yoshimura demonstrated veteran poise on court four after being handed a 6-3 loss by Angel Bean in the opening set. The fifth-year senior was phenomenal in the back two sets, outscoring Bean 12-3 as part of an essential 3-6, 6-0, 6-3 comeback victory. 

Meanwhile, Ohara and Egan endured intense, back-and-forth deciding sets, with each match nearing the three-hour mark. Ohara faced a 5-3 deficit in her third set at line three before rallying back to equalize at five. However, MSU's McCarty halted that rally, prevailing 6-2, 3-6, 7-5.

McCarty's win set the stage for a dramatic conclusion on court six, and Egan delivered just that. In what had been a vocal and chippy duel throughout, MSU's Felicia Jayasaputra appeared to seize momentum with a 5-4 lead in the third set. Egan fired back though, rattling off three consecutive wins, two of which were decisive, to defeat Jayasaputra 6-7(6), 6-2, 7-5. The clutch match-clincher sparked an on-court celebration as the Vikings notched a 1-0 start to Big Sky action. Egan's win was the first Big Sky singles victory of her career. 

The Vikings will need that same type of resiliency next weekend as they face a pair of Big Sky road tests. They'll open the weekend at Idaho State on Friday, Feb. 23 before traveling to Ogden to face defending Big Sky Champion Weber State on Sunday, Feb. 25.