March 1, 2009

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - The Cal State Northridge women's tennis team (3-8, 2-3 BWC) lost 5-2 Sunday in a Big West Conference match to UC Santa Barbara at Matador Tennis Complex. Evgeniya Vertesheva and Brooke Doane won their eighth-straight No. 1 doubles match and Vertesheva also won her fourth top singles match of the season.

So far, Doane, a sophomore, and Verteseheva, a freshman, have ran their season record to an impressive 8-1 record, all at the top doubles position. Sunday, they defeated UCSB's Nataia Lozano and Jill Damion, 8-4.

Vertesheva also recorded a 6-3, 6-0 decision over Michelle Murphy to move her season record to 4-7 in singles play, all at the No. 1 position. She is 2-3 in singles competition against Big West opponents.

CSUN's other point came from Nigora Sirojiddinova, who won her sixth-seeded match 6-4 in straight sets over Bryanna Ojeda. She is now 4-7 in her first season with the Matadors.

Despite Doane and Vertesehva, UCSB took the doubles point to take an early 1-0 advantage. Murphy and Sofia Novak defeated Nina Jaworowski and Sirojiddinova, 8-5, in the second spot and Ojeda and Asagi Onaga defeated Ashley Macias and Whitney Paluch, 8-6, at the No. 3 spot.

In other singles action, Sandra Kukla made her season debut for the Matadors, but lost 6-1, 6-2, to Lozano at the third spot. Damion defeated Jaworowski in three sets at the No. 2 position: 1-6, 7-5, 6-1. Doane also fell in three sets, losing her fourth-seeded match 4-6, 6-2 and 6-0, to Lozano. Paluch dropped her No. 5 match, 6-1, 6-3 to Onaga.

Northridge remains at Matador Tennis Complex for its next 11 matches, beginning with a meeting with Southern Mississippi on Mar. 9. First serve is slated for 2 p.m.

UCSB 5 Cal State Northridge 2

Doubles

1. Vertesheva/Doane (CSUN) def. Lazano/Damion (UCSB) 8-4

2. Murphy/Lozano (UCSB) def. Jaworowski/Sirojiddinova (CSUN) 8-5

3. Ojeda/Onaga (UCSB) def. Paluch/Macias (CSUN) 8-6

Singles

1. Vertesheva (CSUN) def. Murphy (UCSB) 6-3, 6-0

2. Damion (UCSB) def. Jaworowski (CSUN) 1-6, 7-5, 6-1

3. Novak (UCSB) def. Kukla (CSUN) 6-1, 6-2

4. Lozano (UCSB) def. Doane (CSUN) 4-6, 6-2, 6-0

5. Onaga (UCSB) def. Paluch (CSUN) 6-1, 6-3

6. Sirojiddinova (CSUN) def. Ojeda (UCSB) 6-4, 6-4