Nexus File Photo

The Gauchos women’s tennis team is back home this weekend as it will play the San Jose State Spartans and the Arizona Wildcats on Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m.

The Gauchos are coming off of a three-game road trip that saw them play in Texas and UCLA. After the road trip, Santa Barbara remains winless on the season as it fell to 0-4 on the young season.The Gauchos’ game against No. 20 UCLA was yet another loss as they were unable to put up any points in a meet which saw them fall 4-0.

UCSB’s game against No. 20 UCLA was yet another loss as it was unable to put up any points in a meet which saw them fall 4-0.

UCLA was a tough matchup for UCSB, but the Gauchos winless record in season play so far surely has them motivated to bounce back against San Jose State, a more favorable matchup.

The San Jose State Spartans have gotten off to an interesting start this season. The Spartans began the year on a road trip where they won the first game and dropped the second one. The Spartans’ last two games have been postponed and they have not played in a tennis meet since Jan. 24.

Despite the small sample size currently shown by the Spartans, their team is comprised of some talented players. In the singles rankings, SJSU has No. 96 junior Sybille Gauvain who has the capability to defeat higher nationally ranked players than her, as shown in her record against top 100 players last fall. The San Jose State Spartans also have the nationally ranked tandem of freshman Tamara Culibrk and sophomore Miyo Kobayashi who are ranked No. 41 in the ITA Doubles Rankings.

The Gauchos matchup well with the Spartans as their talent in doubles and singles play is something that gives them a chance to pick up their first win of the season.

Junior Palina Dubavets and senior Stefani Stojic came away with losses in both singles and doubles play in last weekend’s game against UCLA, but the upcoming game against SJSU could be a perfect opportunity for the pair to rebound with victories in both categories of play.

The Arizona Wildcats have been perfect so far this season. The Wildcats have played all of their five games at home and have won every single meet. Paving the way for the Wildcats’ success is their talented singles play made up of nationally ranked No. 18 senior Lauren Marker and No. 89 senior Samantha Czarniak.

The talented seniors have not lost a singles match all season as they have either won their matches or the games were left unfinished. Marker and Czarniak are also doubles partners, and while they have not been as successful in doubles play as they have been in singles play, the duo remains a formidable opponent.

The Wildcats will be playing only their second away game when they square off against UCSB, a new dynamic that could present a problem for Arizona as they look to remain perfect. UCSB’s return back home after a long road trip could also help fuel the Gauchos in their quest for their first victory of the season.

Matchup-wise, the Gauchos don’t have the nationally ranked singles players that the Wildcats do, but that shouldn’t be a knock on the capability of UCSB in singles play as they have their own stable of talented singles players. In doubles play, Santa Barbara’s nationally ranked pair of No. 33 senior Melissa Baker and sophomore Stephanie Yamada have enjoyed wins in two of the Gauchos last games. The latest winning streak for the duo looks to be a positive building block as UCSB looks to secure their first doubles match point since their game against Texas Tech University on Jan. 28. The Gauchos hope that the success of Baker and Yamada can combine with a doubles victory from Dubavets and Stojic to clinch the doubles point in their match against Arizona.

In doubles play, Santa Barbara’s nationally ranked pair of No. 33 senior Melissa Baker and sophomore Stephanie Yamada have enjoyed wins in two of the Gauchos last games.

The latest winning streak for the duo looks to be a positive building block as UCSB looks to secure their first doubles match point since their game against Texas Tech University on Jan. 28. The Gauchos hope that the success of Baker and Yamada can combine with a doubles victory from Dubavets and Stojic to clinch the doubles point in their match against Arizona.

The Gauchos hope that the success of Baker and Yamada can combine with a doubles victory from Dubavets and Stojic to clinch the doubles point in their match against Arizona.

The match against San Jose State is scheduled to be played on Saturday, Feb. 11, at 10 a.m. PST.

The match against Arizona is scheduled to be played Sunday, Feb. 12, at 10 a.m. PST.

A version of this article appeared on page 6 of February 9th, 2017’s print edition of the Daily Nexus.