So far, this month has been eventful for the spring teams. Track and field competed at both the Stanford Invitational and the Hayward Invitational. Both of the tennis teams are in the midst of their WCC season. Baseball is also competing in the WCC conference. Rowing picked up a few wins and looks to compete at home. Women’s soccer finished their off-season play with a win. Men’s soccer traveled to Corvallis to take on Portland State in their second to last game of the spring season.
Here’s what’s been happening in Pilots sports in the month of April.
Track and Field
The men’s and women’s track and field teams traveled to Palo Alto, CA to compete in the Stanford Invitational on April 1. On the men’s side, junior Cathal Doyle, senior Jacob Klemz, and redshirt senior Riley Osen each produced Top-10 all-time finishes. On the women’s side, redshirt senior Veerle Bakker also produced a top-10 all-time finish.
The track teams also competed at the Hayward Premier in Eugene, OR on April 1. Eight Pilots earned their PR. On the men’s team, sophomore Eliason Kabasenche, sophomore Bradley Peloquin, junior John Kavulich, junior Justin Hazel and freshman Jona Bodirsky got PRs. On the women’s team sophomore Ella Parker received a PR in the 400m dash.
The track teams traveled to California to compete in the Bryan Clay Invitational and the 62nd Annual Mt. SAC Relays on April 14. At the SAC relays Bakker set a new Portland women's 3,000-meter steeplechase record. As well as producing a PR to place seventh in the event. On the men’s side, Klemz finished in 12th-place in the 10,000-meter elite class. That time also was the sixth-best in program history.
In the Bryan Clay Invitational, sophomore AJ Reyes competed in the men’s 10,000m race and achieved a PR.
On Apr. 16 the track teams competed in the Lewis and Clark Invite. On the women's team, redshirt senior Lacey Conner and freshman Evelyn Collins-Winn finished second and third, respectively, in the 3,000-meter Steeplechase. On the men’s side, freshman Jon Bodirsky took first place in the 1,500-meter race.
Men’s Tennis
The men’s tennis team played Santa Clara at home on April 1 where they won 7-0 — this was their first WCC win. The single wins came from senior Sema Pankin, freshman Julien Penzlin, senior Eleftherios Neos, sophomore Nicolas Ocana, senior Issa Yoshida, and sophomore Nikolas Tvedt. While the doubles wins came from Penzlin/Ocana and senior Nicklas Oberg/Yoshida.
The Pilots remained at home on April 3 where they took on San Francisco. They won 4-0 with wins coming from Pankin, Neos and Ocana in singles play and Pankin/Neos and Oberg/Yoshida in doubles play.
The Pilots next traveled to Los Angeles to play Loyola Marymount on April 8. There they won 4-3. The wins came from Pankin, Neos, Tvedt, and the doubles team of Neos/Panki.
The Pilots stayed in California, traveling to Malibu to take on Pepperdine on April 9. They lost 1-4, with the lone win coming from Neos/Pankin and Ocana/Tvedt.
The Pilots returned home on April 15 where they took on St. Marys. They won 4-2.
The men’s team competed on April 16 against Pacific University at home in their second to last match of the season. They won 4-0 with wins coming from Pankin, Neos, Ocana, and the doubles team Neos/Pankin.
Their final conference game is at home on April 23 against Gonzaga.
Women’s Tennis
The women’s tennis team traveled to California to take on Santa Clara on April 1 where they lost 3-4. Their wins came from junior Iva Zelic, freshman Aleksandra Dimitrijevic and the doubles team of Zelic/senior Angela Schuster
The Pilots then traveled to San Francisco to take on San Francisco University on April 2. There they lost 1-4. Their win came from the doubles teams of freshman Sally Pethybridge/ sophomore Rimona Rouf and Zelic/Schuster. On Apr. 8 the Pilots lost 0-4 against Loyola Marymount at home. They next played Pepperdine at home on April 9 where they lost 0-7.
They traveled to California on April 15 to take on St. Marys where they lost 1-6. The lone win came from Dimitrijevic.
The Pilots stayed in California to take on Pacific University on April 16. They lost 3-4, with wins coming from Pethybridge, Dimitrijevic, and doubles teams, Pethybridge/Rouf and Tanevska/Dimitrijevic.
The Pilots travel to Spokane, WA for their final WCC game against Gonzaga on April 23.
Baseball
The Pilots started their April play in California where they took on Loyola Marymount in a series on April 1-3.
In their first game of the series, they won 5-3. Most of the scoring came early for Portland, as they scored four runs in the first inning and one more in the eighth.
In the second game of the series, they lost 3-6. The Pilots struggled offensively, with only three runs and six hits on the evening. They did, however, get two home runs, one from sophomore Sam Brown and the other from junior Briley Knight.
In the final game of the series, they lost 5-11. LMU scored eight runs in the eighth inning, taking the game and the series from Portland 11-5.
The Pilots returned to Portland to take on Oregon State on April 5 at the Ron Tonkin Stadium. They lost to the number 5 team 1-5. For the fifth time this season, Knight hit a shot out of the park that put the Pilots on the board for the evening.
The Pilots returned home to take on San Diego in a three-game series for the WCC conference. The first game they played on April 8. The Pilots had six runs off 10 hits.
The second and third games were a part of a doubleheader on April 9. The Pilots took home both wins going 8-6 in the first game and 5-4 in the second.
The Pilots next traveled to Spokane, WA on April 14 where they took on Gonzaga in another three-game WCC series. In the first game, they lost 3-4 but quickly got one back winning 2-1 on Apr. 15. Their rally wasn’t enough however, they ended up losing 2-5 in the final game on Apr. 16.
The Pilots next host the University of Oregon at home on Apr. 19.
Rowing
On April 2 the Pilots traveled to Seattle, WA to compete in the Husky Open. There they won two races; the second varsity eight and the first varsity eight. The second varsity eight consisted of
Coxswain- Dawon Lee, Stroke- Sarah Redmond, 7-Lexi Turner, 6- Olivia Zilavy Pailthorp, 5-Lizzy Eckstrom, 4- Addison Thomas, 3- Soleia Quinn, 2- Gabriela Garcia and, Bow- Lauren Poehlmann. The first varsity eight consisted of Coxswain- Sage Iona, Stroke- Catherine Watson, 7- Avery Romano, 6- Mia Kilmister, 5- Colleen Cushing, 4- Maddie Olson, 3- Megan Duifhuis, 2- Emma Dolcini, and, Bow- Lexa Wendl.
The Pilots competed against St. Marys and Seattle U on April 16 at home where they won the first varsity eight. In the second varsity eight and the varsity four they each placed third.
They next take on Oregon State on Apr. 23.
Women’s Soccer
On April 2 the Pilots took on both Oregon State and Puget Sound at home. They competed one half against each team. Against Oregon State, they tied 0-0 and against Puget Sound, they won 6-0.
In their final game of the spring, the Pilots took on the University of Oregon on April 9. They played three 30-minute halves and won 1-0. A big save came from Freshman goalie Bre Norris to cement the Pilot’s win.
Men’s Soccer
On April 9 the Pilots traveled to Corvallis OR to take on Portland State. They tied 0-0.
They return to Merlo on April 16 for a rematch against the Beavers in their final game of the spring season.
Beach Volleyball
On Apr. 16 and 17 the beach volleyball team competed against the University of Oregon and the University of Hawaii. They lost the first round of games 0-5 against both schools. On Apr 17, they got one back on Hawaii but ended up losing 1-4 and lost 0-5 against UO.
The Pilots next travel to Eugene to take on the Ducks on Apr. 17.
Wilder Isom is a sports reporter for the Beacon. She can be reached at isomw24@up.edu
