Long Beach State Closes Regular Season Hosting UC Irvine On Senior Day

Saturday, April 18

Long Beach, Calif.

11 a.m.

Long Beach State University

UC Irvine

Long Beach State Closes Regular Season Hosting UC Irvine On Senior Day

4/15/2026 2:56:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Beach will honor Paulina Franco Martinessi at Big West matchup

By: Chelsea Pfohl, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- Long Beach State closes out the regular season at home this Saturday with a Big West matchup against UC Irvine at the Rhodes Tennis Center in Long Beach. First serve is scheduled for 11 a.m. as the Beach celebrates Senior Day and honors Paulina Franco Martinessi for her contributions to the program.

Long Beach State enters the match at 11-10 overall and 4-4 in Big West play, positioning this contest as a key opportunity to finish conference play above .500 and build momentum heading into the postseason. UC Irvine arrives at 12-7 overall and 3-4 in conference, making this a tightly matched meeting between two teams competing in the middle of the Big West standings.

The Beach is coming off a narrow 4-3 loss at CSUN last week, a match that highlighted both resilience and missed opportunities. In singles, Long Beach State picked up three points through Cecilia Costa at the top spot, Thea Jagare at No. 3, and Pamela Badillo at No. 5. Costa's straight-sets win at No. 1 continues to anchor the lineup, while Jagare's comeback performance demonstrated the depth and competitiveness in the middle of the order.

However, the difference ultimately came down to doubles and a few tightly contested singles matches. The Beach dropped the doubles point and split three-set matches, underscoring an area of emphasis heading into Saturday. Securing the early 1-0 advantage in doubles will be critical against UC Irvine, especially in what is expected to be another closely contested match.

Senior Day adds an additional layer of significance. Paulina Franco Martinessi has been a steady presence in both singles and doubles throughout her Long Beach State career, competing against top conference opponents and contributing to the program's consistency. Her experience and leadership will be central in a match where composure and execution in key moments are likely to determine the outcome.