Loyola Marymount University’s women’s tennis team advanced to the West Coast Conference semifinals with a hard-fought 4-3 victory over fifth-seeded Portland in the quarterfinals held in Fairfield, California.
The Lions, seeded fourth, dropped the doubles point early but rallied to win four of six singles matches, securing their place in the next round of the conference tournament.
According to the West Coast Conference’s official report, LMU won three straight singles matches after trailing 2-1 following the doubles loss, with key victories coming from players in the third, fourth, and fifth positions in the lineup.
The turning point came when LMU’s No. 3 singles player won in straight sets, shifting momentum decisively in the Lions’ favor. Portland fought back to win the No. 6 singles match, but it was not enough to overcome LMU’s lead.
LMU head coach Matt Mitchell praised his team’s resilience after the match, stating, “I’m really proud of how the girls fought back. Losing the doubles point is never ideal, but to win four singles shows real character and depth.”
The victory sets up a semifinal clash for LMU against the top-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs, who received a bye into the final four after defeating San Francisco in their quarterfinal match.
Portland’s season ends with the loss, concluding a campaign in which the Pilots finished fifth in the WCC regular season standings with a 6-4 conference record.
Loyola Marymount entered the tournament as the No. 4 seed after finishing the regular season with a 7-3 record in WCC play, earning home-court advantage for the quarterfinals as the higher seed in the matchup.
The West Coast Conference tennis tournament continues this weekend at the Berryessa Tennis Center in Fairfield, with the semifinals scheduled for Saturday and the championship match set for Sunday.
For ongoing updates, live scores, and full bracket results from the WCC Tennis Championships, visit the conference’s official website.
Share your thoughts on LMU’s performance and what it means for their NCAA tournament hopes in the comments below, and follow us for more coverage of West Coast Conference athletics.
