PORTLAND, OR- The Bengals men's tennis team traveled to Newberg and Portland, Oregon this past weekend, where they played three matches in three days facing off against the George Fox University Bruins, the Portland State Vikings, and the Portland University Pilots. The Bengals went 1-2 on the weekend defeating George Fox on Friday 7-0, but falling to the Vikings 3-4 and the Pilots 2-5.
In the Bengals match against George Fox on Friday morning the Bengals secured the doubles matches point behind the No. 2 doubles team of Patrick Kristensen and Wikus Robbertse, defeating their opponents 6-1, and the No. 3 doubles team of Hiroki Fujita and Ethan Lye, downing their Bruins opponents 6-1 as well. Idaho State swept the singles matches as No. 1 Patrick Kristensen (6-2, 6-2), No. 3 Andreas Kramer (6-3, 6-2), and No. 4 Wikus Robbertse (6-1, 6-1) all won in straight sets. In the No. 2 singles match we saw Valentino De Pellegrin tested in his first set but respond dominantly in the second and third to lock down the win by a score of 6-7, 6-2, 6-1. In the No. 5 singles match Victor Sklenka won in 3 sets 6-0, 4-6, 6-2, and in the No. 6 singles match Ethan Lye also won in 3 sets 6-2, 1-6, (10-3).In their next match on Saturday the Bengals opened Big Sky play against conference foe, the Portland State Vikings. The Bengals did not get off to their best start as they lost the doubles point, but looked to respond in the singles matches. Idaho State did just this as No. 3 Andreas Kramer (7-5, 6-2) and No. 5 Victor Sklenka (6-0, 6-1) defeated their Viking matchups in straight sets to help tie the match at 2-2. Following a few tough losses in the No. 1 and No. 2 singles matches Hiroki Fujita took it to his opponent in the No. 6 singles match as he won in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3. The match between Idaho State and Portland State was knotted up yet again and they were down to the final match, the No. 4 singles. Wikus Robbertse was in a back-and-forth match where he won the first set 6-4 but lost the second 3-6. In the final set Robbertse was unable to pull it out in a shootout as he lost the final set 6-7 (3-7). The Bengals lost the match in heartbreaking fashion 3-4.
In the final match of the weekend the Bengals remained in Portland where they went up against the Portland University Pilots. To begin the match the Bengals came out firing, locking up the doubles matches point as the No. 1 doubles team of Andreas Kramer and Valentino De Pellegrin won 7-6 (7-5) and the No. 2 doubles team of Patrick Kristensen and Wikus Robbertse won 6-2. In the singles matches the Bengals lone victory came from the No. 2 singles matches as De Pellegrin won in straight sets 6-4, 6-3. The Bengals fell to the Pilots 5-2.
After the weekend the Idaho State men's tennis team is now 3-5 and 0-1 in BSC. They will be back home in Reed Gym for their first home matches of 2023 as they take on the Weber State Wildcats on Saturday, February 25th and the Seattle University Redhawks Sunday February 26th
Head coach, Oliver Good, had this to say about the Bengals performance, "It was a solid performance by everyone today. We had to be ready and we were. Playing in these conditions helps us prepare for tomorrows conference match against Portland State."
