In two prior instances this season, the Ducks had their match decided in a third set decision. Oregon lost both matches.
Third time’s the charm.
With Saturday’s match at Washington tied 3-3, freshman Riki Oshima pulled off arguably his biggest win since arriving to Oregon to give the Ducks a big road win over its conference rival.
Armando Soemarno did not play, and thus, the Ducks doubles lineup was shaken up.
Ty Gentry and Simon Stevens — who regularly have played in the No.3 spot — shifted up to No. 2 and came away with the 6-1 win. Shortly after, the No. 36 pair of Thomas Laurent and Cormac Clissold came away with the 6-4 victory to clinch the doubles point for the Ducks.
Oregon didn’t hold the lead for long, though, after Akihiro Tanaka (7-5, 6-2) and Simon Stevens (7-6(2), 6-1) each losing in consecutive sets to put the Ducks down, 2-1.
Laurent did his job at the No. 1 spot. That was the case again on Saturday, with the Frenchman coming away with the 6-4, 7-5 win over No. 80 Mitch Stewart to tie the match at 2.
Gentry has been putting together quite the 2018 season, but the sophomore didn’t have it all versus Washington, dropping a 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 decision to Jack Davis to put down Oregon 3-2.
With its backs against the wall, the Ducks needed two wins in its remaining matches. Clissold delivered on his end, storming back to win in three sets, 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-1 over Amit Batta.
All eyes then shifted to Oshima, who pulled out the three-set win over Alexis Alvarez, 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 to give Oregon the 4-3 win over its Pacific Northwest opponent.
Follow Cole Kundich on Twitter @ckundich