Cal Poly warmed up for Mardi Gras by defeating its Central Coast rival from the south.

The UCSB women’s tennis team dropped its match to the Mustangs at the RecCen courts last Thursday 4-3 to fall to 6-4 overall and 1-2 in the Big West Conference.

Senior singles player Uzma Khan, the #101 netter in the country, won her 10th straight match in 2003 by easily dropping senior Danielle Hustedt 6-2, 6-1 in the #1 singles point.

Khan also recorded a win in the #1 doubles point. Khan, teamed with freshman Marielle Gruenig, captured a 9-7 win. The dynamic duo stand at 7-3 overall this year in #1 doubles play.

The Gauchos didn’t fare too well in the lower seeds, however. UCSB lost the #4, #5 and #6 singles points en route to a humbling conference loss to the Mustangs.

So far this season, UCSB Head Coach Pete Kirkwood has found a pleasant surprise at the #3 singles position. Freshman Andrea Pintar, a native of Eden Prairie, Minn., has posted an impressive 7-3 record as a newcomer. Pintar scorched Cal Poly #3 sophomore Chelsey Thompson 6-3, 6-0 last week.

Pintar, the dominant Khan and Gruenig – a freshman phenom from Switzerland – could prove to be a formidable trio at the top of the singles lineup for the Gauchos.

Santa Barbara travels north this weekend for matches against Davis, Pacific and Utah State.

Davis (4-4 overall, 2-2 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association) is coming off a 6-3 loss to UC San Diego on Sunday at Davis’ Hickey Courts. UCSB faces Davis on Thursday on the road.

The Pacific women’s tennis team dropped to 2-9 this season after a 6-1 loss against Sacramento State on Sunday.

Utah State will be coming off a lengthy 16-day rest when they face the Gauchos on Saturday. With a 5-2 victory over Weber State on Feb. 20, the Aggies are 2-2 on the year.

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