Oregon Ducks Tennis: Womens’ and Mens’ Recaps

Women’s Tennis

The Oregon women started off their season with a double header on Friday January 17 at the Student Tennis Center in Eugene. They weren’t particularly hospitable to their guests, sweeping Portland State and Montana both by a scores of 4-0.

This past Friday Oregon was back in action on their home courts for a meet with Seattle University. Without multiple meets on the same day, all matches were allowed to finish and Oregon took the meet 7-0.

On Sunday the Ducks finally faced an opponent who could take a couple of matches from them in Long Beach State. Still in Eugene, Oregon set themselves up for another possible sweep by taking the doubles point 2 matches to none (they were trailing in the third doubles match 4-3 when the point was decided). In singles play veterans Tilde Jagare and Karin Young led the way along with impressive newcomer Patsy Daughters. These three secured the win by making the meet score 4-0, each winning in straight sets. Though Marjorie Souza and Bridget Mihulka lost the first matches of the season, they each took their opponents to three sets. Veteran Avery Jennings won in three sets to make it 5-2 Oregon.

The women will be back in Action in Eugene this coming weekend. A meet against Portland at 1:30PM on Saturday Feb. 1 breaks up a men’s double header, with Texas Tech scheduled for 10AM on Sunday Feb. 2.

Men’s Tennis

The men’s team also had an impressive opening weekend, but found this past weekend’s competition a much stiffer challenge at the ITA Kick-Off Weekend in Norman, OK. Last Sunday the Ducks swept Santa Clara at the Student Tennis Center in Eugene, getting Oregon tennis off to an undefeated start by both teams on the first weekend of the season.

Oregon faced a difficult challenge in their opening meet of the ITA Kick-Off against familiar foe #18 Stanford. The Cardinal proceeded to sweep their former Pac-12 opponents 4-0. The only victory for the Ducks in the entire meet was a doubles win by Lenn Luemkemann and Matthew Burton, but Stanford still took the point. In singles play the Ducks were unable to win a single set.

By contrast Sunday’s match against Tulsa came down to the final match. Oregon surrendered the doubles point 2-0 and were put in a tough position. Victories in straight sets by Zian Vanderstappen, Matthew Burton, and Paris Pouatcha gave the Ducks a chance to win the meet. The Golden Hurricane weren’t going to go down easily though, winning two singles matches in straight sets themselves to even the meet at 3 points each. It all came down to the only match to go to three sets. Luemkemann took his first set 6-1, only to lose his second set 1-6. He and his Tulsa opponent were tied 6-6 in set three before Luemkemmann finally ran out of steam and surrendered match point.

The Oregon men will look to get back to there winning ways when they welcome BYU and Portland State to Eugene for a double header on Saturday February 1.