The UCSB women’s tennis team opened up Big West play last weekend dropping both of its matches at home: a 5-2 decision to Northridge and a 6-1 loss to Irvine.

Things were looking pretty good for the Gauchos (1-3 overall, 0-2 Big West) as they started out against the Matadors on the Rob Gym Courts. Senior Cindy Ammann and junior Uzma Khan teamed up at the number one doubles position to defeat CSUN’s top couple, 8-4. However, none of the other Santa Barbara pairs could muster a doubles win.

Senior Shiho Fukushima and freshman Chelsea Dillon came up empty at the two spot, losing 8-4, and freshmen Amanda Pazornik and Michelle Stewart were blanked in the third slot by an 8-3 score. And with that, UCSB immediately found itself down 1-0 going into singles play.

Ammann and Khan continued to shine for the Gauchos in singles competition, notching victories in both of their matches. Ammann posted a stellar performance as she defeated Matador Rani Setiawati 6-0, 6-2 in the number two slot, while Khan retired Tereza Simonyan 3-0 in the one spot to secure UCSB’s only points of the match. Dillon, Stewart and freshman Myriah FitzGibbon were all beaten handily by the Matador netters with scores of 6-1, 6-0, while Fukushima put in a die-hard effort at the five spot. After surrendering the first set 6-3, she came back and took the second set the full nine. Matador Veronika Wagner, however, had a little too much for Fukushima to overcome and won the match 6-3, 7-6.

In its second game in as many days Santa Barbara did not fare any better. Irvine came out of the blocks on fire, sweeping UCSB in all three doubles matches to give it the advantage from the onset. The Gauchos knew they had their work cut out for them as they headed into singles play.

Irvine had the upper hand in all singles competitions except the number two spot. Ammann defeated Anteater Amy Tranckino 6-1, 6-4, for her third straight win of the season. Meanwhile, Khan saw her three-match winning streak break in the hands of No. 61 Jonni Seymour by marks of 6-4, 6-3 in the top spot. None of the Gauchos had any more luck. Anteater Tiffany Chang beat Dillon 6-1, 6-0. Anna Bentzer topped UCSB’s Stewart 6-1, 6-2. UCI’s Hui Leow defeated Fukushima 6-1, 6-0, while Anteater Kristina Boss glided past FitzGibbon 6-0, 6-0.

Santa Barbara looks to change its luck on the road this weekend on a northern California road trip. UCSB will take on San Jose State on Friday, St. Mary’s on Saturday and Santa Clara on Sunday.