Long Beach State University
Cal State Fullerton
Beach Tennis Claims Third Straight Big West Regular Season Title
4/15/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Long Beach, Calif. - Long Beach State's dominance of Big West women's tennis continued on Friday as the Beach defeated visiting Cal State Fullerton, 7-0, to cap off a perfect 8-0 season in Big West action. The win gives LBSU its 13th Big West regular season title in the last 15 years, and extends the Beach's conference winning streak to 28 straight matches. No. 66 Long Beach State improves to 16-4 overall and Fullerton drops to 17-5 and 6-2 in conference, missing out on their chance to force a three-way tie in first place with UC Santa Barbara.
"I'm very proud of the girls for winning another regular season title," said LBSU head coach Jenny Hilt-Costello. "It shows very consistent play over an entire season, which is hard to do."
Long Beach State captured early momentum with an exciting win in doubles, snatching the point with a comeback win at Court 2. After LBSU took a win at No. 1 and CSF claimed victory at No. 3, it all came down to Maeva Razakasoa and Julie Gerard, who trailed 5-4 in the No. 2 pairs matchup. The juniors rallied by holding serve, then breaking the serve of Masako Makiba and Karla Portalatin to take a 6-5 lead. The Beach then served their way to the doubles point, giving the team a nice lift going into singles action.
The win at No. 1 doubles was significant for the Beach, as the No. 37 ranked team of Laura Eales and Hayley Thompson played great tennis, knocking off the No. 45 team of Alexis Valenzuela and Camille De Leon by a score of 6-3.
Senior Ebba Unden got the ball rolling in singles, winning her matchup comfortably, 6-4, 6-1. Eales was the next to score a win, taking a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 decision at No. 3. The clinching win went to Georgie Sanders at No. 6, as the freshman earned a 6-4, 6-4 victory to notch her fifth straight win.
Gerard and Thompson earned three-set wins at No. 3 and 5, respectively, with Thompson winning her 10th straight match. No. 72 Razakasoa needed a third set to finish off Valenzuela at the top of the lineup to complete the sweep, but came through with a 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-2 win. Razakasoa has won nine straight contests and is unbeaten in conference play, vying for her second Big West Player of the Year honor after winning the award as a freshman in 2014.
Long Beach State closes out the regular season on Saturday at 11 a.m. against No. 44 Oregon on Unden's Senior Day at the Beach.
Singles Results
No. 72 Maeva Razakasoa (LBSU) def. Alexis Valenzuela (CSF) 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-2
Ebba Unden (LBSU) def. Sarah Nuno (CSF) 6-4, 6-1
Julie Gerard (LBSU) def. Karla Portalatin (CSF) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
Laura Eales (LBSU) def. Camille De Leon (CSF) 6-1, 4-6, 6-4
Hayley Thompson (LBSU) def. Masako Makiba (CSF) 6-2, 1-6, 6-2
Georgie Sanders (LBSU) def. Danielle Pham (CSF) 6-4, 6-4
Doubles Results
No. 37 Laura Eales/Hayley Thompson (LBSU) def. No. 45 Alexis Valenzuela/Camille De Leon (CSF) 6-3
Maeva Razakasoa/Julie Gerard (LBSU) def. Masako Makiba/Karla Portalatin (CSF) 7-5
Sarah Nuno/Danielle Pham (CSF) def. Georgie Sanders/Ebba Unden (LBSU) 6-3
Players Mentioned
