The Portland Pilots women’s tennis team lost 6-1 to the Loyola Marymount University (LMU) Lions on March 28 at the LMU Tennis Center in Los Angeles. Alaia Rubio Perez secured the lone point for Portland with a singles victory, while the team’s overall record moved to 6-7 and their West Coast Conference mark fell to 1-2. The LMU Lions improved their record to 7-8 overall and evened their conference tally at 2-2.
This result is significant as it impacts both teams’ standings within the West Coast Conference, affecting postseason positioning and momentum as league play continues.
In doubles play, LMU clinched the opening point by winning matches at No. 1 and No. 3 positions. Portland’s duo of Dariya Radulova and Lexie Flores were ahead in their match at No. 2 doubles when play was stopped after LMU secured the doubles point.
Rubio Perez earned her win at No. 1 singles with a comeback performance against Lidia Gonzalez, taking a third-set super tiebreaker for a final score of 1-6, 6-1, 11-9. At No. 2 singles, Radulova forced a deciding set but ultimately fell to Ada Piestrzynska in another close contest (6-4, 1-6,10-5). The remaining four singles matches were won by LMU players in straight sets.
The Pilots will conclude their weekend road trip with a match against sixth-ranked Pepperdine on Sunday starting at noon. Fans can follow live coverage through links available on PortlandPilots.com.
Looking ahead, this defeat highlights areas for improvement as Portland prepares for future conference challenges.
