Alawi edges No. 75-ranked player, LBSU traps Cougars

49ers defeat Washington State to finish 9-2 during 11-match homestand

Published: Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Updated: Tuesday, March 30, 2010 20:03

Sean Boyd / Daily 49er

Sophomore Rachel Manasse pumps a fist during her eighth consecutive win at No. 4 singles on Thursday at the Rhodes Tennis Center. Long Beach State defeated Washington State, 6-1, to close out its 11-match homestand.

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Jaklin Alawi improved to 5-2 at No. 1 singles with a 3-6, 6-4, 10-3 win over Liudmila Vasilieva.

Rachel Manasse plays a two-handed backhand.

Sarah Cantlay tries a backhand return during her No. 3 doubles match.

From left: Sarah Cantlay and Julie Luzar in doubles action.

Deborah Armstrong collected her 10th win in 11 matches at No. 3 singles.

Julie Luzar pulled out a 6-4, 7-6 (1) win over Marina Nicolas at No. 5 singles.

Anais Dallara goes for an overhead smash during her No. 2 doubles match.

Anais Dallara, front, and Deborah Armstrong in No. 2 doubles action.

Sarah Cantlay defeated Jessica Gomez 6-0, 7-6 (2) at No. 6 singles.

Anais Dallara approaches the net in the 49ers' 6-1 win over Washington State.

Jaklin Alawi plays a forehand in The Beach's final match of its homestand.

Anais Dallara was defeated 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 by Elisabeth Fournier at No. 2 singles.

Deborah Armstrong goes for an approach shot on Thursday at the Rhodes Tennis Center.

Freshman Jaklin Alawi pulled together an upset of No. 75-ranked Liudmila Vasilieva at No. 1 singles as the 49er women's tennis team (13-3) cruised to a 6-1 win over Washington State to close its 11-match homestand with a 9-2 mark.

Alawi squeaked by Vasilieva 3-6, 6-4, 10-3 to improve to 5-2 at No. 1 singles on Thursday at the Rhodes Tennis Center. Sophomore Rachel Manasse recorded the first Beach singles win of the day with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Andjela Kankaras at No. 4 singles to extend her winning streak in singles matches to eight.

Deborah Armstrong was next off the court after defeating Knesia Googe 6-0, 7-6 (3) at No. 3 singles. Armstrong has won 10 of her last 11 singles matches since moving to the No. 3 position.

Sophomore Julie Luzar defeated Marina Nicolas 6-4, 7-6 (1) at No. 5 singles and freshman Sarah Cantlay breezed to a 6-0, 7-6 (2) win over Jessica Gomez at No. 6 singles.

Anais Dallara dropped the 49ers' lone singles match of the day, falling 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 to Elisabeth Fournier at No. 2 singles.

LBSU swept the three doubles matches after having dropped the doubles point in its three previous meets. Alawi and Manasse dropped Fournier and Vasileva, 8-1 at No. 1 doubles.

Armstrong/Dallara trounced Nicolas/Googe, 8-2, at No. 2 doubles and Cantlay/Luzar slipped past Gomez/Kankaras, 8-6 at No. 3 doubles.

The Beach hits the road for three Big West matches to conclude conference play, starting Friday, April 2 at No. 52 Cal Poly at 1 p.m.

LBSU visits UC Santa Barbara the following day at 11 a.m. and plays at Cal State Northridge on April 10 in its last Big West match of the season. The 49ers do not return to the Rhodes Tennis Center until April 11 when No. 60 St. Mary's arrives for a nonconference tilt.