BEAVERTON, Ore. -- Sophomores Maddy Ferreros and Grace McSkimming claimed points for the Hornets with a pair of singles wins on the day, but it wasn't enough to push past host Portland State, which posted a 5-2 victory over Sacramento State on Saturday afternoon at the Tualatin Hills Tennis Center in Beaverton, Ore.
The loss was the first in Big Sky Conference play this year for the Hornets, who fell to 6-5 overall and 2-1 in league play following a 15-day layoff from competition since sweeping Montana and Montana State at home in a doubleheader back on March 3.
After the Vikings took two of the three doubles contests to take a 1-0 lead in the match, it was McSkimming who put her team on the board with a 6-4, 6-1, win over Emily Rees at No. 5 singles to make a 2-1 contest to that point.
The Hornets climbed back to within a point with Ferreros' win at No. 2, defeating Capu Sanoner in three sets, 6-1, 2-6, 6-4, to make it 3-2, but Portland State's Masha Ponomareva upset previously undefeated Mayya Gorbunova at No. 1 singles, 6-4, 6-3, to clinch the match.
Sacramento State's doubles tandem of Weronika Ejsmont and Best Lee won their doubles contest at the No. 2 spot, 6-0, for the Hornets' lone victory there.
A run of four straight on the road continues next week as the Hornets travel to Nevada on Tuesday (March 21), before heading to Southern California to take on Cal State Fullerton (March 23) and CSUN (March 26).
NCAA WOMEN'S TENNIS
Portland State 5, Sacramento State 2
March 18, 2023 // Beaverton, Ore. (Tualatin Hills Tennis Center)
DOUBLES
1. Masha Ponomareva / Capu Sanoner (PSU) def. Mayya Gorbunova / Tsveti Yotova (SAC), 6-4
2. Weronika Ejsmont / Best Lee (SAC) def. Makoto Ohara / Emily Rees (PSU), 6-0
3. Nika Beukers / Elizabeth Strongina (PSU) def. Maddy Ferreros / Julia Moraes (SAC), 7-6 (4)
Order of finish: 2, 1, 3*
SINGLES
1. Masha Ponomareva (PSU) def. Mayya Gorbunova (SAC), 6-4, 6-3
2. Maddy Ferreros (SAC) def. Capu Sanoner (PSU), 6-1, 2-6, 6-4
3. Elizabeth Strongina (PSU) def. Tsveti Yotova (SAC), 6-0, 6-1
4. Nika Beukers (PSU) def. Weronika Ejsmont (SAC), 6-3, 6-4
5. Grace McSkimming (SAC) def. Emily Rees (PSU), 6-4, 6-1
6. Makoto Ohara (PSU) def. Julia Moraes (SAC), 4-6, 7-5, 1-0 (11-9)
Order of finish: 3, 5, 4, 2, 1*, 6
