In the rough-and-tumble Pacific-10 Conference, tennis matches are always intense and wins are hard fought. Just ask the Oregon tennis teams, who are a combined 0-8 in conference play this season.
Outside of Pac-10 play, however, the Ducks are 8-3. This weekend, Oregon will get a chance to lick its wounds against non-conference opponents at home and on the road.
The No. 68-ranked men begin to wrap up their two-month-long homestand against West Coast Conference schools Portland and Santa Clara. The Ducks are winners in four of their last five matches, the lone loss coming to No. 6 Washington.
On Saturday, Portland makes its fourth visit to the Student Tennis Center this season, despite not yet having played the Ducks. The Pilots share a home schedule with the Ducks, facing most opponents that Oregon does on homestands.
Portland (2-2) is led by sophomore Peter Malacek and junior Nick Tostenrude. Last season, the Ducks swept the Pilots 7-0 in Portland for their first sweep of the season. The match begins at noon Saturday.
Santa Clara (5-2) should provide more of a challenge for the Ducks. The Broncos have won five straight matches and nearly pulled off upsets over Arizona and Arizona State. The Broncos swept Arizona in doubles play before succumbing, then pushed the No. 24 Sun Devils to the limit in four matches.
The Ducks counter with sophomore Oded Teig, who is 16-9 in singles play. Senior David Beckerand freshman Martin Pawlowski comprise Oregon’s top doubles team.
The No. 51 Duck women will face the toughest match of the weekend at Fresno State. After taking on Loyola Marymount at 1 p.m. Saturday, the Ducks entertain No. 30 Fresno State.
The Bulldogs are 3-1 on the season with upsets over Pac-10 schools UCLA and Washington. All-American Kim Niggenmeyer and No. 28 Leisl Fichtbauer lead the Fresno State attack. The Bulldogs’ lone loss came to top-ranked Stanford earlier this season.
Loyola Marymount should be less of a challenge for the 3-5 Duck women. The Lions are 3-3 on the season in the West Coast Conference. The Lions are led by junior transfer Andrea Lord, who played on the Mississippi State team that eliminated Oregon from the NCAA Tournament last season.
Both matches will be played at the Spalden G. Wathen Tennis Center in Fresno.