The UCSB women’s tennis team was unable to pull off the upset of No. 38 Long Beach State on Saturday, falling to the 49ers 5-2. UCSB moves to 9-10 on the season, and 4-2 in conference play. The loss drops the Gauchos out of the running for the No. 1 seed in the Big West tournament at the end of the month, but head coach Pete Kirkwood is not worried.
“Right now we feel we have a chance against anybody, and we will definitely play a lower seed than ourselves in the first round of the Big West Tournament, so we are not too concerned with our final seeding,” Kirkwood said.
[imagebrowser id=18]The new doubles pairings for the Gauchos pushed the 49ers to the limit, but in the end, Long Beach State prevailed to earn the point. At the No. 1 doubles position, Tova Hausman and Bryanna Ojeda were outdueled by Jaklin Alawi and Rachel Manasse, in a match that came down to the wire (9-8 (5)). Natalia Lozano and Jordan Dockendorf also put up a strong fight in No. 2 doubles, but could not top the team of Deborah Armstrong and Anias Dallara (9-7). The only doubles victory for UCSB came at the No. 3 position, where Jill Damion and Annabel Gledden narrowly edged Julie Luzar and Sarah Cantlay (9-8 (2)).
Down 1-0 after the doubles matches, the Gauchos gave it all they had to stay in the hunt. At the end of the day, the 49ers proved to be too much.
Sofia Novak failed to upset No. 125 Alawi at the No. 1 position, going down in straight sets (6-4, 7-6 (5)). At the No. 2 spot, Lozano lost by a similar score to Dallara (6-3, 7-6 (3)). Starting her second straight match at the No. 3 position, Damion was defeated by Armstrong by a count of (7-5, 6-3). Dockendorf also suffered a loss for the Gauchos, dropping her match at the No. 6 position to Cantlay (6-3, 7-6 (4)).
The two singles victories for UCSB came at the Nos. 4 and 5 positions. Playing from the No. 4 slot, Hausman continued her torrid winning streak, knocking off Manasse in straight sets (6-3, 6-3). Hausman has now won her last nine matches, and will move up in the lineup to make her debut at No. 3 when the Gauchos face Cal State Fullerton next Saturday. Gledden was also successful in her matchup with Luzar at the No. 5 position, winning a three set contest (6-2, 3-6, 10-4).
Next up for the Gauchos will be a Big West road match, when they take on the Cal State Fullerton Titans on Saturday, April 10th at 1:00 p.m.
Singles
1. No. 125 Jaklin Alawi (LBSU) def. Sofia Novak (UCSB) 6-4, 7-6 (5)
2. Anias Dallara (LBSU) def. Natalia Lozano (UCSB) 6-3, 7-6 (3)
3. Deborah Armstrong (LBSU) def Jill Damion (UCSB) 7-5, 6-3
4. Tova Hausman (UCSB) def. Rachel Manasse (LBSU) 6-3, 6-3
5. Annabel Gledden (UCSB) def. Julie Luzar (LBSU) 6-2, 3-6, 10-4
6. Sarah Cantlay (LBSU) def. Jordan Dockendorf (UCSB) 6-3, 7-6 (4)
Doubles
1. Alawi/Manasse (LBSU) def. Hausman/Bryanna Ojeda (UCSB) 9-8 (5)
2. Armstrong/Dallara (LBSU) def. Dockendorf/Lozano (UCSB) 9-7
3. Damion/Gledden (UCSB) def. Luzar/Cantlay (LBSU) 9-8 (2)
