Sunday, April 28
Indian Wells, Calif.
9:30 a.m.
Long Beach State University
4
vs
3
Hawai'i
Exciting Comeback Leads Women’s Tennis To Big West Championship
4/28/2019 3:00:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Long Beach State will make its 13th NCAA Tournament appearance after winning the Big West Tournament.
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. – Trailing 3-1 against Hawai'i in the Big West Tournament championship, Long Beach State had a tiebreaker and two matches heading to a third set needing to win all three, but that's exactly what the Beach did, prevailing in thrilling fashion to return to the top of the Big West in a 4-3 finals victory.
The victory gives Long Beach State (17-5) their first championship since 2015, capping an incredible return to form for the Big West powerhouse. The Beach will now advance to the NCAA Tournament for the 13th time in school history, all coming under head coach Jenny Hilt-Costello.
Junior Natalia Munoz had the first step in the rally, winning in the third flight against Nikola Dolakova. Munoz was a perfect 6-0 in the Big West Tournament but faced her toughest test in a tiebreaker battle with Nikola Dolakova, holding her off 9-7 in the breaker for a 6-4, 7-6 win to leave the Beach in striking distance with two matches remaining.
Lalita Deverakonda tied the match at 3-3 with a three-set win over Michelle Pits, grabbing the win 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 to even the match with Hawai'i (10-10). That left just the second flight singles match between freshman Emma Bardet and the hero from yesterday's upset win for the Rainbow Wahine, Maayan Sela.
Sela was a 7-5 winner in the first set, but Bardet bounced back with a 6-1 win in the second and then closed out the victory for the Beach.
The first two singles matches were quick wins, one each for each squad as Sadaf Sadegvaziri won 6-3, 6-2 over Alzbeta Houbova, while Rozanne Resma was a 6-2, 6-1 winner over Zara Lennon.
Wiktoria Rutkowska was a first-set winner over the dangerous Petra Melanouva in the top flight, but the Hawai'i star recovered for a 3-6, 6-0, 6-4 win to set the Rainbow Wahine in front 3-1 after UH took the doubles point.
Munoz and Devarakonda were 6-2 winners over Resman and Pits, but the Beach lost the other two matches with the clincher coming at No. 3, where Houbova and Sela won 7-5 over Lennon and Carlota Casasampere.
The 2019 NCAA Tournament selection show will be at Monday, April 29 at 3:30 p.m., streamed live on www.ncaa.com.
Singles competition
1. Petra Melounova (UH) def. Wiktoria Rutkowska (LBSU) 3-6, 6-0, 6-4
2. Emma Bardet (LBSU) def. Maayan Sela (UH) 5-7, 6-1, 7-5
3. Natalia Munoz (LBSU) def. Nikola Dolakova (UH) 6-4, 7-6 (9-7)
4. Lalita Devarakonda (LBSU) def. Michelle Pits (UH) 7-5, 4-6, 6-2
5. Roxanne Resma (UH) def. Zara Lennon (LBSU) 6-2, 6-1
6. Sadaf Sadeghvaziri (LBSU) def. Alzbeta Houbova (UH) 6-3, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Petra Melounova/Nikola Dolakova (UH) def. Wiktoria Rutkowska/Dominique Meyer (LBSU) 6-4
2. Natalia Munoz/Lalita Devarakonda (LBSU) def. Roxanne Resma/Michelle Pits (UH) 6-2
3. Alzbeta Houbova/Maayan Sela (UH) def. Carlota Casasampere/Zara Lennon (LBSU) 7-5
The victory gives Long Beach State (17-5) their first championship since 2015, capping an incredible return to form for the Big West powerhouse. The Beach will now advance to the NCAA Tournament for the 13th time in school history, all coming under head coach Jenny Hilt-Costello.
??Here they are, your 2019 Big West Tournament Champions! ??#GoBeach pic.twitter.com/jw7QADhff0
— LBSU Women's Tennis (@LBSUBeachTennis) April 28, 2019
Junior Natalia Munoz had the first step in the rally, winning in the third flight against Nikola Dolakova. Munoz was a perfect 6-0 in the Big West Tournament but faced her toughest test in a tiebreaker battle with Nikola Dolakova, holding her off 9-7 in the breaker for a 6-4, 7-6 win to leave the Beach in striking distance with two matches remaining.
Lalita Deverakonda tied the match at 3-3 with a three-set win over Michelle Pits, grabbing the win 7-5, 4-6, 6-2 to even the match with Hawai'i (10-10). That left just the second flight singles match between freshman Emma Bardet and the hero from yesterday's upset win for the Rainbow Wahine, Maayan Sela.
Sela was a 7-5 winner in the first set, but Bardet bounced back with a 6-1 win in the second and then closed out the victory for the Beach.
CLINCHER! Emma Bardet takes match point in her 3-set win at No. 2 singles, giving @LBSUBeachTennis the 4-3 victory over @UofHawaiiTennis. It's title No. 13 for the Beach, and the 12th in 16 years at Indian Wells Tennis Garden.#GoBeach | #LeaveALegacy pic.twitter.com/aPQATrnajb
— Big West Tennis (@BigWestTennis) April 28, 2019
The first two singles matches were quick wins, one each for each squad as Sadaf Sadegvaziri won 6-3, 6-2 over Alzbeta Houbova, while Rozanne Resma was a 6-2, 6-1 winner over Zara Lennon.
Wiktoria Rutkowska was a first-set winner over the dangerous Petra Melanouva in the top flight, but the Hawai'i star recovered for a 3-6, 6-0, 6-4 win to set the Rainbow Wahine in front 3-1 after UH took the doubles point.
Munoz and Devarakonda were 6-2 winners over Resman and Pits, but the Beach lost the other two matches with the clincher coming at No. 3, where Houbova and Sela won 7-5 over Lennon and Carlota Casasampere.
The 2019 NCAA Tournament selection show will be at Monday, April 29 at 3:30 p.m., streamed live on www.ncaa.com.
WATCH: Head Coach Jenny Hilt-Costello (@LBSUBeachTennis) wins her 15th Big West title and her 12th here at Indian Wells. #GoBeach #LeaveALegacy pic.twitter.com/ekF4guWm2w
— Big West Tennis (@BigWestTennis) April 28, 2019
Singles competition
1. Petra Melounova (UH) def. Wiktoria Rutkowska (LBSU) 3-6, 6-0, 6-4
2. Emma Bardet (LBSU) def. Maayan Sela (UH) 5-7, 6-1, 7-5
3. Natalia Munoz (LBSU) def. Nikola Dolakova (UH) 6-4, 7-6 (9-7)
4. Lalita Devarakonda (LBSU) def. Michelle Pits (UH) 7-5, 4-6, 6-2
5. Roxanne Resma (UH) def. Zara Lennon (LBSU) 6-2, 6-1
6. Sadaf Sadeghvaziri (LBSU) def. Alzbeta Houbova (UH) 6-3, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Petra Melounova/Nikola Dolakova (UH) def. Wiktoria Rutkowska/Dominique Meyer (LBSU) 6-4
2. Natalia Munoz/Lalita Devarakonda (LBSU) def. Roxanne Resma/Michelle Pits (UH) 6-2
3. Alzbeta Houbova/Maayan Sela (UH) def. Carlota Casasampere/Zara Lennon (LBSU) 7-5
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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