FULLERTON, Calif. – UC San Diego played its first-ever Big West Conference match on Saturday, and the Tritons fell 4-0 at Cal State Fullerton.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Cal State Fullerton 4, UC San Diego 0
Records: UC San Diego 0-2 (0-1 Big West), Cal State Fullerton 4-2 (1-0)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Titans earned the doubles point thanks to -76 victories at No. 3 and No. 1. The No. 2 doubles was knotted at 6-6 when UC San Diego freshman Devika Pantpratinidhi was forced to retire due to injury.
 
In singles play, the Titans picked up wins at No. 1, No. 5, and No. 6 singles to clinch the match. The two teams played out the remaining singles matches, with Cal State Fullerton earning victories at No. 4 and No. 3. At second singles, UC San Diego freshman Ella Pachl won the first set 6-3, but the match was called with the second set tied 5-5.
 
QUOTABLE
"Overall, I was pleased with our fight," said UC San Diego coach Liz LaPlante. "Our team fought really hard in the doubles. We were down 0-5 at No. 3 and came back to force a match point. In singles, Ella [Pachl] played really well for us today."
 
RESULTS
Doubles
1. Eira Tobrand/Misaki Kobayashi (CSF) def. Rachel Wagner/Sophie Pearson (UCSD), 7-6 (1)
2. Camila Garcia/Jadi Acidera (CSF) def. Ella Pachl/Devika Pantpratinidhi (UCSD), 6-6, ret.
3. Natalie Duffy/YuSeung Suh (CSF) def. Anu Bhadada/Shweta Kumar (UCSD), 7-6 (2)
 
Singles
1. Misaki Kobayashi (CSF) def. Sophie Pearson (UCSD), 6-0, 6-1
2. Ella Pachl (UCSD) vs. Eira Tobrand (CSF), 6-3, 5-5, dnf.
3. Natalie Duffy (CSF) def. Rachel Wagner (UCSD), 6-2, 7-5
4. Jadi Acidera (CSF) def. Anu Bhadada (UCSD), 6-3, 6-2
5. YuSeung Suh (CSF) def. Shweta Kumar (UCSD), 6-4, 6-3
6. Juliette Daries (CSF) def. Julianna Sabile (UCSD), 6-2, 6-1
 
Order of finish: Doubles (2, 3, 1); Singles (1, 4, 5, 6, 3)
 
UP NEXT
The Tritons' scheduled home opener against Long Beach State March 11 was canceled when the Beach opted out of participation this season. Additional matches are expected to be announced soon. For the most up-to-date UC San Diego women's tennis schedule, click here.
 
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions III and II and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.

Return To Sport…Safely
In order for UC San Diego scholar-athletes to be permitted to return to training and competition safely and within federal, state, local, and university guidelines, the athletic department implemented a number of measures designed to complement and enhance the university's highly-successful Return To Learn program. Notable actions include being physically distanced when practical, including during out-of-season training sessions; wearing masks, except when undergoing physically strenuous exercise; and maintaining proper hygiene. Athletes, coaches, and staff are testing at a higher frequency than the campus population, teams adhere to CDC, NCAA, and Big West Conference guidelines, and department officials participate in regular meetings with conference and university-affiliated physicians and the UC San Diego emergency operations staff.