PORTLAND, Ore. – The Gonzaga Bulldogs held on for a 4-3 victory over the Portland Pilots in a tightly contested West Coast Conference women's tennis match Saturday afternoon at the Louisiana Pacific Tennis Center. Gonzaga improved to 13-2 overall and 4-1 in league play with the win, while the Pilots dropped to 6-9 and 2-3 in WCC play.

Trailing 3-1 after the first three singles matches, Portland stormed back to put the pressure on the Bulldogs.

Freshman Emily Soares won in straight sets over Kate Ketels at the No. 5 spot to make it a 3-2 margin.

Sophomore Tatiana Grigoryan then overcame a first set loss to defeat Alex Bourguignon 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 at the No. 4 position to tie the match.

The deciding point came down to No. 6 singles where Domonique Garley was up a set on Pilot freshman Anna Oberg. Oberg responded by winning the second set 6-0, but Garley pulled out the third set by a 6-3 margin to clinch it for the Bulldogs.

Portland had the early momentum by claiming the doubles points. Jelena Lazarevic and Jelena Lukic cruised to a 6-2 win at the No. 1 spot and then Oberg and Soares clinched with a 6-2 win at No. 3.

Gonzaga answered by claiming the three top singles positions. Sophie Whittle and Graciela Rosas won in straight sets at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively. Nevada Apollo then outlasted Lukic in three sets at No. 1.

Portland will return to the court to host Pacific on Friday at 10 a.m. at the St. Johns Racquet Center. The Pilots then welcome Saint Mary's to the Louisiana Pacific Tennis Center on Saturday at 10 a.m. and then host Sacramento State in a non-conference match on Sunday at the St. Johns Racquet Center at 10 a.m.

Gonzaga 4, Portland 3
Portland, Ore. (Louisiana Pacific Tennis Center)
April 8, 2017

Singles
1. APOLLO, Nevada (GON) def. LUKIC, Jelena (POR) 6-1, 4-6, 6-3
2. WHITTLE, Sophie (GON) def. DIMITROVA, Radina (POR) 6-1, 6-4
3. ROSAS, Graciela (GON) def. LAZAREVIC, Jelena (POR) 7-5, 6-3
4. GRIGORYAN, Tatiana (POR) def. BOURGUIGNON, Alex (GON) 4-6, 6-1, 6-3
5. SOARES, Emily (POR) def. KETELS, Kate (GON) 6-3, 6-4
6. GARLEY, Domonique (GON) def. OBERG, Anna (POR) 6-3, 0-6, 6-3

Doubles
1. LUKIC, Jelena/LAZAREVIC, Jelena (POR) def. APOLLO, Nevada/GARLEY, Domonique (GON) 6-2
2. DIMITROVA, Radina/GRIGORYAN, Tatiana (POR) vs. WHITTLE, Sophie/ROSAS, Graciela (GON) 4-4, unfinished
3. SOARES, Emily/OBERG, Anna (POR) def. KETELS, Kate/TSURUTA, Haruna (GON) 6-2

Match Notes:
Gonzaga 13-2, 4-1 WCC
Portland 6-9, 2-3 WCC
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (2,3,1,5,4,6)