The women’s tennis team split a pair of matches over the weekend, falling to the University of Denver 4-1 before recovering against the University of Wyoming 5-2.

On Friday, the Gauchos suffered defeat at the hands of the #74 Pioneers who won four singles matches in just two sets. Sophomore and #1 singles player Sofia Novak lost to Ute Schnoy 2-6, 1-6; sophomore and #2 singles player Natalia Lozano was defeated by Julia Bauregger 4-6, 4-6; freshman and #3 singles player Annabel Gledden fell to Sophia Bergner 2-6, 7-5 and senior and #4 singles player Asagi Onaga lost to Emma Isberg 3-6, 3-6. The other two singles matches were stopped before completion.

The highlight of the day for the Gauchos was in the doubles. Santa Barbara captured the doubles point, winning two of the three doubles matches to give the road team its only point of the match. The tandem of Lozano and sophomore Jordan Dockendorf won their match 8-5 and partners senior Tova Hausman and Novak won their match on a Pioneer default.

“I felt like we all did pretty well,” senior Bryanna Ojeda said. “It was a tough match and a tough loss.”

The UCSB women bounced back the next day at Wyoming, winning in convincing fashion. In the doubles matches Lozano and Dockendorf had an easy 8-1 win while Hausman and Novak won 8-5 to give the Gauchos the doubles point.

In the singles, Santa Barbara did just as well, dropping only two of the six matches. At the #1 singles spot, Lozano rebounded to take down Sarah Summerfield 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 in a match that went down to the wire. At the second and fourth positions, Novak and Dockendorf rebounded to sweep their opponents with scores of 6-3, 6-2 and 6-2, 6-4 respectively. In the final match, Ojeda put the nail in the coffin from the #6 singles position to win 6-3, 2-6, 10-8.

“We were pretty happy especially considering the conditions we had to go through,” Ojeda said, alluding to the unfamiliar indoor courts at high elevations.

The Gauchos (3-6) will begin conference play this weekend with a home match against UC Davis on Saturday.

“I feel like all of the Big West teams are pretty close,” Ojeda said. “We have a good chance with the depth of our team.”