CLAREMONT, Calif. – The Portland Pilots pulled out a 4-2 victory against the No. 67 Pacific Tigers to open the 2016 West Coast Conference Championships Thursday afternoon at the Biszantz Family Tennis Center.
Playing a singles lineup of four sophomores and two freshmen, the Pilots (16-7) competed beyond their years to reach the WCC Championships semifinals for the eighth time in program history and first time since the league expanded to 10 teams.
With final exams taking place this week on the UP campus, the team had a condensed week to take care of business in the classroom and then turned the focus to postseason play. The Pilots (16-7) dropped the doubles point, but came back to control singles play and extend their season.
"Today was an unbelievable effort from our guys." Portland head coach Aaron Gross said. "It has been a long week for a variety of reasons. We struggled in the doubles and were probably outplayed, but our guys are just so gritty. There was not an ounce of giving in once the singles started."
The Tigers (14-13) made it a 2-0 lead as reigning WCC Player of the Year Sem Verbeek, ranked No. 113 nationally, knocked off Michail Pervolarakis at No. 1 singles. Portland quickly shifted the momentum when a pair of freshmen secured crucial wins. Carlos Donat cruised to a 6-3, 6-2 win over Bernardo Oliveira at No. 6 shortly followed by Felix Fan defeating Alex Giannini 6-2, 6-4 at No. 5 to tie the score.
"The lower part of our lineup, which has been so solid all year, got us on top and I think keyed the confidence of everybody," Gross noted.
The Pilots took the lead when sophomore Alex Wallace beat Miguel Diaz 7-6, 6-4 at the No. 4 position and minutes later clinched when sophomore Mathieu Garcia knocked off Daniel Alameh 7-6, 6-3 at No. 2.
"I can't say enough about Alex Wallace," Gross noted. "He is just an enormous part of our team. He has come through in so many big places this year, but none bigger than today. Mathieu Garcia didn't play his best tennis today, but it speaks a lot for how good of a player he has developed into when he can beat a very solid player at the No. 2 position without playing his best."
The Pilots, Tigers and Pepperdine all tied for third place in the WCC regular season standings with 6-3 records, but Pepperdine earned the No. 3 seed via tiebreakers. Pacific was the No. 4 seed and the Pilots were slotted as the No. 5 seed.
Portland will now get a chance against the WCC regular season champion, No. 30 San Diego, in Friday's semifinal matchup at 10 a.m.
"This has been an awesome season," Gross added. "At this point we approach each day as if it could be our last. Tomorrow will be no different in terms of how hard we compete."
Portland 4, #67 Pacific 2
Claremont, Calif. (Biszantz Family Tennis Center)
WCC Championships
April 28, 2016
Singles
1. #113 Sem Verbeek (PAC) def. Michail Pervolarakis (POR) 6-3, 6-3
2. Mathieu Garcia (POR) def. Daniel Alameh (PAC) 7-6, 6-3
3. Pierre Garcia (POR) vs. Jose Chamba (PAC) 7-6, 6-3 unfinished
4. Alex Wallace (POR) def. Miguel Diaz (PAC) 7-6, 6-4
5. Felix Fan (POR) def. Alex Giannini (PAC) 6-2, 6-4
6. Carlos Donat (POR) def. Bernardo Oliveira (PAC) 6-3, 6-2
Doubles
1. Verbeek/Chamba (PAC) def. Pervolarakis/M. Garcia (POR) 6-3
2. Giannini/Alameh (PAC) def. Wallace/Kent Andreasen (POR) 6-3
3. Fan/P. Garcia (POR) vs. Diaz/Oliveira 4-3 unfinished
Order of Finish: Singles (1,6,5,4,2) Doubles (2,1)
