Saturday, February 1
Los Angeles, Calif.
3:30 P.M.
Long Beach State University
1
at
4
USC
Photo by: John Fajardo
Women’s Tennis Drops Opener at No. 19 USC, 4-1
2/1/2020 9:51:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Lalita Devarakonda picked up a solid win at the No. 6 singles spot, but Long Beach State was unable to start its season with a road win over No. 19 USC. LBSU will look to bounce back immediately in its home and conference opener Sunday at 11 a.m. against UC Davis.
LOS ANGELES -- Beach Tennis opened the 2020 season with a tough road test at No. 19 USC on Saturday. Long Beach State (0-1) battled the Women of Troy (4-1) but ended up on the wrong end of a 4-1 score.
Junior Lalita Devarakonda picked up an impressive singles win at the No. 6 spot for the Beach, winning 6-0, 6-2 against Payton Saca. USC was able to win at the top three singles spots, but there were good battles brewing at Nos. 4 and 5. Sophomore Wiktoria Rutkowska won the first set against No. 68-ranked Sydney Van Alphen, and the match was suspended at 6-3, 3-6, 0-2. At the No. 5 spot, sophomore Zara Lennon was up 4-3 in set two, looking to even up her match when USC clinched the win.
In doubles, LBSU lost 6-4 at No. 1 and 6-3 at No. 3 to give USC the 1-0 lead. Emma Bardet and Rutkowska were locked in a 5-5 battle at the second spot but the match was left unfinished.
The Beach will have a quick turnaround and get back at it on Sunday at 11 a.m. against UC Davis. The match represents not only the Big West opener but the home opener for the Beach at Rhodes Tennis Center.
Junior Lalita Devarakonda picked up an impressive singles win at the No. 6 spot for the Beach, winning 6-0, 6-2 against Payton Saca. USC was able to win at the top three singles spots, but there were good battles brewing at Nos. 4 and 5. Sophomore Wiktoria Rutkowska won the first set against No. 68-ranked Sydney Van Alphen, and the match was suspended at 6-3, 3-6, 0-2. At the No. 5 spot, sophomore Zara Lennon was up 4-3 in set two, looking to even up her match when USC clinched the win.
In doubles, LBSU lost 6-4 at No. 1 and 6-3 at No. 3 to give USC the 1-0 lead. Emma Bardet and Rutkowska were locked in a 5-5 battle at the second spot but the match was left unfinished.
The Beach will have a quick turnaround and get back at it on Sunday at 11 a.m. against UC Davis. The match represents not only the Big West opener but the home opener for the Beach at Rhodes Tennis Center.
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