On a day when only the singles matches were played due to rain, the 54th-ranked Long Beach State women's tennis team defeated UC Riverside, 5-0, on Friday at the Rhodes Tennis Center.
The 49ers (6-1, 3-0 Big West Conference) won despite missing their top-seeded player, junior Anais Dallara, who sat out to avoid going over the playing limit. Dallara played an extra match during the fall.
LBSU assistant coach Hannah Grady was pleased with the team's performance, especially since every player had to slide up a spot.
"It was a difficult day with the conditions, obviously," said Grady, in her second year after playing for the 49ers the previous four seasons. "Everyone pulled their weight."
sophomore Jaklin Alawi took Dallara's spot at No. 1 play. Alawi ended her match against Taylor Raney with a decisive 6-0 score after a narrow victory in the first set, 6-4.
Playing in her first singles match since the season opener was junior Julie Luzar, who is normally held out of the six-player rotation but showed no signs of rust. Luzar beat out Kate Bergeson, 6-2, 6-2, at No. 6 play.
"I used to play singles a lot the last two years," the junior said. "But I just kept focus and didn't let up. I couldn't let her take control of the match."
At the No. 2 slot, senior Deborah Armstrong beat Jamie Raney, 7-5, 6-2.
Sarah Cantlay, playing at No. 4, continued her strong play, outdueling Natalie McKay, 6-3, 6-0.
LBSU junior Rachel Manasse came out victorious at the No. 5 slot, winning against Angelique Corpuz, 6-2, 6-0.
At the No. 3 spot. Sophomore Anna Jeczmionka fell 6-4 in her first set against Nadia Sakhakorn. Rain stopped the second set short with Sakhakorn leading, 5-4, but because the match was not completed, it did not count.
The Beach's next match was rescheduled to noon Sunday on the road against UC Irvine. It will be the first meeting between the teams since since the Anteaters stunned the 49ers in last year's Big West championship match.
The loss ended LBSU's six-year reign as tournament champions.
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