IRVINE, Calif. – The 50th-ranked UC Irvine men's tennis team kicked off a month-long homestand with a 6-1 victory over Portland Saturday afternoon at Anteater Tennis Stadium.
 
UCI (5-3) had a new tandem at the top of its doubles lineup with Andy Nguyen and Lawee Sherif teaming up for the first time. The two made an immediate impact as they secured the 1-0 lead with a 6-4 win over Nikola Keremedchiev/Stefan Skobelev.
 
Sohrob Amiryavari and Max Fardanesh had given the 'Eaters the early advantage in doubles with a 6-3 triumph over Cade Fernando/Maxim Groysman at No. 2.
 
Amiryavari continued to roll in singles where he was first off the court, dispatching Fernando, 6-2, 6-2, at No. 6. Rithvik Krishna followed with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Skobelev at the third position, before Sherif delivered the match-clinching win, taking down Kimelman, 7-6 (3), 6-1, at No. 5.
 
The Pilots (3-4) got on the board with a straight-set win on court four, but the Anteaters closed out the day with two more victories. Nguyen, who made his first appearance at No. 1 singles, outlasted Groysman, 6-3, 7-6 (3), while Ruining Huang came from behind to defeat Keremedchiev, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 10-7 at No. 2.
 
UC Irvine returns to the courts on Monday, March 3, when it hosts Temple at 11 a.m.