CHENEY, Wash. - In the last home match of the 2021 spring schedule, and on a day to honor the seniors in the program, the Eastern Washington University women's tennis squad played host to the Portland State Vikings and edged out a comeback 4-3 victory inside the Jim Thorpe Fieldhouse in Cheney, Wash. The Eagles bounced back after falling down 3-0 and won the next four matches, improving their overall record to 6-8 with an undefeated 2-0 Big Sky Conference record.

"This was an incredible comeback win today. Portland State came out really tough in doubles and I knew they would be tough all the way through their singles lineup as well. We got down 1-0 early by losing the doubles point," said head coach Dustin Hinson, who currently leads his ambitious squad on a three-match winning streak. "I thought we played better doubles overall today but PSU was just a bit better and they got that early point. And then we dropped a couple of the early singles matches to go down 3-0. Our backs were against the wall and the only way out was to fight, claw, and scrap our way to come back."

The Eagles are no stranger to battle as they fought for a 4-3 victory in their previous match against conference foe Idaho in which freshman Scout Mathews stepped up and secured the last win to solidify the team victory.

"What makes this team special is that they believe... they will never give up and they never quit. They dug in and battled back with heart and determination and earned a hard-fought 4-3 victory. It was incredible to be a part of," added Hinson. "The feeling of working hard and giving your all to earn a comeback win is unmatched and I'm happy that we were able to feel that today. I'm really proud of the whole team for their effort and energy, it was a team win."

As the Eagles continued battling, they improve their all-time series record to 28-7 against the Vikings and extends their current winning streak to six-straight matches, collecting a 12-3 all-time home record.

"I'm also really happy for Renata Gabuzyan in No.5 singles. She was out there when the team match score was tied 3-3. We can't predict who's match it's going to come down to and today it was hers. She played with so much desire and great energy and she was able to grit out a match against a really tough opponent," Hinson stated. "This team win is extra special because we were able to do it on Senior Day. I'm proud of these seniors and the commitment they have given to Eastern and to our team. We can celebrate this victory but we have a lot more work to do this season. This win just motivates us to dig in and finish with everything we've got.""

Official Match Report
 
Doubles Results
Sanoner/Ohara def. Rylee Braeden/Zoey Nelson (7-5)
Rees/Meszaros def. Scout Mathews/Louise Waite (6-1)
 Jennifer Kida/Renata Gabuzyan def. Ramirez/Upeniece (6-0)
 
Singles Results
Jennifer Kida def. Meszaros (7-6, 7-6)
Sanoner def. Scout Mathews (7-5, 6-2)
Louise Waite def. Ohara(4-6, 6-3, 7-5)
Rees def. Zoey Nelson (6-4, 6-1)
Renata Gabuzyan def. Ramirez (7-5, 7-5)
Yasmin Mansouri def. Upeniece (6-4, 6-3)

The Eagles finish the regular season with two road matches, the first against Montana State on Friday, April 16 in Bozeman, Mont., and the second against Montana on Sunday, April 18 in Missoula, Mont.