Women’s Tennis Serves Up a Battle
Photo by Miranda Duarte
The Tigers compete in WCC matchup against Portland
No wind and sunny skies made for ideal conditions at the Eve Zimmerman Tennis Center, as Pacific hosted the University of Portland in a West Coast Conference (WCC) matchup.
The day opened with doubles competition. On the Jean Rule Sanders Court, senior Megan Carmichael and freshman Maggie Hoe fought back from a 0-3 deficit with four straight game wins. Unfortunately, a string of unforced errors proceeded to give Portland the momentum, and the Pilots rallied to take the match 6-4.
Over on the Karen & Michael Hall Court, sophomore Indiya McLeod and senior Alexis Sam delivered a strong performance, dominating their Portland opponents with a 6-2 victory.
On the Heiser Family Court, sophomore duo Milena Maiorova and Rayna Sugai held their own with powerful serves and long rallies, but narrowly fell in a 6-4 score, giving the Portland Pilots the overall doubles point.
At 12:48 p.m., singles matches kicked off after the Tigers gathered for a huddle with head coach Mary Beth Gunn, ending in a spirited “Go Tigers!” chant.
Maiorova struck first, delivering a commanding 6-0 first set on Court 2. The second set went to a tiebreak, where she fell 7-6 (3). In the third set, Maiorova struggled to keep pace, ultimately losing 6-1.
Carmichael followed, opening with a solid 6-1 win in her first set. In the second, several out-of-bounds errors proved costly, leading to a 4-6 loss. The final set slipped away quickly, ending 0-6 in favor of Portland.
On Court 6, sophomore Nahreen Cheam showed resilience. After dropping the first set 2-6, she adjusted her play and took the second set 6-3. In the decisive third set, Cheam remained composed in a back-and-forth battle that led to a tiebreak. With quiet confidence, she closed it out with two unanswered points to seal the match and earn Pacific a singles point.
“Our team had a tough loss with a lot of tough matches, and it’s in moments like those where you have to stay focused and be ready for anything,” Cheam said. “The third set really pushed me to dig deep. It’s difficult, but when you pull through those challenging stretches, it’s all worth it.”
McLeod, playing on Court 3, delivered two consistent sets with a 6-3, 6-1 win, marking a clean sweep for her day as she also earned a doubles victory.
On Court 4, Sam was overpowered in her singles match, falling 6-2, 6-1. She finished 1-1 overall after winning her doubles match earlier in the day.
Sugai’s match on Court 5 was competitive early. She dropped the first set in a close 7-5 battle, and despite winning three games in the second, Portland pulled ahead to take the set 6-3.
With the 5-2 loss, Pacific moves to 9-6 all-time against Portland and 4-2 at home. The Tigers remain focused as they prepare for their final WCC match and homestand. Pacific will face Pepperdine on April 18, which is also Free Pizza Day and the rescheduled date for their Mental Health Game, sponsored by The Hidden Opponent. Their Senior Day match against Loyola Marymount on April 19 will follow, where fans can enjoy free boba in celebration of the team’s graduating players.