SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – The UC San Diego women's tennis team became the first Big West Conference team to take the doubles point from Cal Poly this season, but the host Mustangs rebounded in singles play to pick up a 4-1 Big West Conference victory on a blustery Saturday morning at the Mustang Tennis Complex.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Cal Poly 4. UC San Diego 1
Records: UC San Diego 2-6 (1-4 Big West); Cal Poly 11-1 (5-1 Big West)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
UC San Diego sophomore captain Sophie Pearson and freshman Ella Pachl continued their strong work in doubles, picking up a 6-3 win at No. 1 doubles. The Mustangs won 6-4 at the No. 2 position, but the Tritons earned the doubles point thanks to a 7-5 win at No. 3 by junior Shweta Kumar and freshman Monica Stratakos – their second straight doubles win.
 
In singles action, the Mustangs earned wins at No. 1, 2, 3 and 6 to clinch the match. Junior Anu Bhadada led 5-4 in the second set at No. 4 and Kumar held a 6-5 lead in the second set at No. 5 when play was halted.
 
RESULTS
Click here for a complete box score
 
QUOTABLE
"What a great battle in doubles to earn the point," said UC San Diego head coach Liz LaPlante. "Very strong winds made for challenging conditions, but I'm pleased to see the improvement we showed."
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• Pearson and Pachl picked up their third consecutive doubles win over a Big West opponent at the No. 1 position.
• The Tritons fell to 0-6 this season on the road.

UP NEXT
UC San Diego plays the final road match of its inaugural Division I season on Sunday morning when the Tritons visit UC Santa Barbara. First serve is scheduled for 11 a.m. PT.

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.