The UCSB women’s tennis team endured another winless weekend, and the team will continue its striving for the light at the end of the tunnel.

The Gauchos were forced to endure a grueling seven-hour drive to Stockton to play four consecutive matches against four quality teams.

Unfortunately for Santa Barbara, it dropped its first three matches to Nevada (5-2), Idaho (3-4) and Fresno State (6-1) before the last match against Pacific was canceled due to weather.

"Every single match was close, even if the results don’t look like it," junior Cindy Ammann said. "We are always right there at the end; we just haven’t been able to finish."

The biggest disappointment for UCSB came on the second day of competition. The Gauchos faced off against Idaho and lost in heartbreaking fashion, 4-3.

"The game against Idaho was down to the last match, and we could almost feel it," senior Gaby Andrade said. "It just didn’t happen for us, and it’s frustrating because any other day we could have beat them."

Santa Barbara knew it would have its work cut out when the team faced off against highly touted Fresno State. UCSB dropped the match 6-1, but the defeat was actually a bright spot for the Gauchos.

"We knew that they would be a tough team," Amman said. "But everyone played really well against them. It was a great way to finish the weekend."

The most exciting event of the match pitted freshman Anne Marie Lenz against the #25 singles player in the nation, Liesl Fichtbauer. Lenz topped Fichtbauer in three sets to complete the weekend undefeated in singles play.

The three-set match marked the second day in a row that Lenz was forced to play the final set.

"Both matches I lost the first set and then came back in the next two," Lenz said. "I love to play the third set because I love to play to my limit."

After an extremely tough opening to the season comprised of exhausting road trips, the Gauchos are recuperating before beginning their home stand.

UCSB is also looking forward to the return of Uzma Khan, who is expected to be added to the lineup in the #1 singles spot for the team’s first home match against Riverside.