SPOKANE, Wash. – Earlier this afternoon, the Gonzaga women's tennis team opened their spring conference schedule by defeating Portland in comeback fashion. Entering today's match, the Bulldogs had won six of the previous seven matchups against the Pilots, a streak dating back to the 2015 season.
 
Opening with the doubles competition, Portland claimed an early lead when Alaia Rubio Perez and Rimona Rouf earned a 6-1 court three win against Gonzaga's Brooke Bittner and Lia Espinal. Portland clinched the doubles point on court two, as Aleksandra Dimitrijevic and Meagan Pearson defeated Gonzaga's Emily Robertson and Ella Nielsen by a score of 6-3.
 
With the Pilots having already clinched the doubles competition, the court one match between Portland's Iva Zelic and Sally Pethybridge and Gonzaga's Tiegan Aitken and Kianna Oda went unfinished, ending with a score of 4-5.
 
Moving to the singles competition, Portland expanded their lead on court five, as Rouf defeated Gonzaga's Caroline Wernli by a score of 6-1, 6-4.

In the No.1 spot, Gonzaga earned their first team point of the day with a huge win on court one. Robertson claimed a 6-3, 6-3 victory over senior Iva Zelic, who had eight wins going into the match.

Shortly after, Perez picked up a 7-6, 6-1 win against Nielsen on court three.
 
Facing a 3-1 deficit, Gonzaga continued to battle in the remaining three singles matches. On court six, Bittner earned an impressive 7-6, 6-3 victory over Pearson. Later on, Aitken tied the competition when she picked up a 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 court four win against Dimitrijevic. Gonzaga clinched the team victory on court two, as Oda defeated Pethybridge by a score of 7-6, 3-6, 7-6.
 
Up Next: Following today's victory, the Gonzaga women's tennis team will travel to California to face Pacific on Friday, March 29th. The Zags will also play Saint Mary's on Saturday, March 30th at 11 am.
 
A live stream of Gonzaga's match against Pacific can be found at GoZags.com.
 
Records: With the win, Gonzaga's season record improves to 7-8. For Portland, the loss drops their record on the year to 7-7. The historical record between the Zags and Pilots also moves to 13-19.
 
Today's match also marks the first time since the 2021-22 season that the Zags have opened their spring conference schedule with a win.
 
Results:
Gonzaga 4, Portland 3

Singles Competition:
1. ROBERTSON, Emily (GON) def. Iva Zelic (UP) 6-3, 6-3
2. ODA, Kianna (GON) def. Sally Pethybridge (UP) 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 7-6 (7-3)
3. Alaia Rubio Perez (UP) def. NIELSEN, Ella (GON) 7-6 (7-4), 6-1
4. AITKEN, Tiegan (GON) def. Aleksandra Dimitrijevic (UP) 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (7-1)
5. Rimona Rouf (UP) def. WERNLI, Caroline (GON) 6-1, 6-4
6. BITTNER, Brooke (GON) def. Meagan Pearson (UP) 7-6 (7-2), 6-3
 
Doubles Competition:
1. AITKEN, Tiegan/ODA, Kianna (GON) vs. Iva Zelic/Sally Pethybridge (UP) 4-5, unfinished
2. Aleksandra Dimitrijevic/Meagan Pearson (UP) def. ROBERTSON, Emily/NIELSEN, Ella (GON) 6-3
3. Alaia Rubio Perez/Rimona Rouf (UP) def. BITTNER, Brooke/ESPINAL, Lia (GON) 6-1
 
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2); Singles (5,1,3,6,4,2)