LA JOLLA, Calif. - The 17th-ranked UC San Diego women's tennis team snapped a two-match losing streak on Saturday, defeating Cal State L.A. by a 5-4 margin at the Northview Tennis Courts. The win marks the Tritons' second victory over the Golden Eagles this season.
UCSD improved to 9-7 overall with the victory, bouncing back from a disappointing 9-0 defeat at Polnt Loma Nazarene on Thursday. The Tritons also defeated the Golden Eagles (7-13) by a 5-4 count on Febraury 23 in Los Angeles.
The victory didn't come easily however, as UCSD dropped two out of three in doubles play to fall in an early hole. Cindy Dao and Jacquelyn Davis recorded an 8-4 win over Linda Majzlikova and Charlotte Spassoff at No. 2 doubles, but CSULA claimed the other two pairings.
Down a point, the Tritons had to rally to win at least four of their singles matches and they did just that. Melissa Breisacher, Katie Mulloy, and Davis silenced their opponents 6-0, 6-0; 6-1, 6-1; and 6-1, 6-0, respectively, while Christie Lau and Larn McShane posted victories in the top two spots for the visitors.
With the match tied at four points apiece, it all came down to Samantha Yeung's bout with Jill Sangria at No. 4. Yeung pulled out the 6-3, 7-6 victory -- edging Sangria 9-7 in the tiebreaker -- to deliver the tight victory for UCSD.
UCSD head coach Liz LaPlante congratulated the junior on a well-deserved win.
"[Samantha] played great under pressure, the best I've ever seen her play, against a very strong opponent," she said. No stranger to success, Yeung also sealed the Tritons' close victory over Sonoma State ealier this season.
Next up for UCSD is a roadtrip to Concordia Irvine on Wednesday, April 20. The Tritons and Eagles will square off at noon.
Singles
1. Christie Lau (CSULA) def. Taskeen Bains (UCSD) 2-6, 6-2, 0-6
2. Larn McShane (CSULA) def. Cindy Dao (UCSD) 6-1, 1-6, 3-6
3. Melissa Breisacher (UCSD) def. Linda Majzlikova (CSULA) 6-0, 6-0
4. Samantha Yeung (UCSD) def. Jill Sangria (CSULA) 6-3, 7-6, (9-7)
5. Katie Mulloy (UCSD) def. Charlotte Spassoff (CSULA) 6-1, 6-1
6. Jacquelyn Davis (UCSD) def. Joyce Librando (CSULA) 6-1, 6-0
Doubles
1. Lau/McShane (CSULA) def. Bains/Haley Perrotte (UCSD) 3-8
2. Dao/Davis (UCSD) def. Majzlikova/Spassoff (CSLA) 8-4
3. Sangria/Librando (CSULA) def. Mulloy/Roxanna Pourmirzaie (UCSD) 6-8
UC San Diego 5, Cal State Los Angeles 4
