The UCSB women’s tennis team went north over the weekend for three matches in as many days, taking two of three and losing only to Big West Conference foe University of the Pacific.

The #73 Gauchos easily handled Saint Mary’s College 5-2 on Friday and University of San Francisco 6-1 on Saturday before falling to #63 Pacific 5-2 on Sunday afternoon. Santa Barbara improved to 4-2 on the season and will put its unbeaten-at-home status to the test on Thursday afternoon against Boise State at the Rob Gym courts at 1:30.

Junior #1 singles Marielle Gruenig paced Santa Barbara throughout the weekend, winning all three singles matches, including an impressive 6-2, 6-4 victory over Pacific sophomore #1 singles Vana Mrazovic. Ranked #67 nationally, Mrazovic is coming off an impressive week, going 2-0 in singles competition against conference opponents and earning Big West Women’s Tennis Co-Athlete of the Week honors. One of the best players in the conference, Mrazovic had lost just one singles match before meeting Gruenig on Sunday.

On Friday, UCSB won singles matches from the 1-5 spots on its way to dropping the Gaels at Korth Tennis Complex. During Saturday’s victory over San Francisco at the Olympic Club, the Gauchos won all of their singles matches, including a dominant 6-1, 6-0 rout at #1 singles by Gruenig over Camille Pamart.

Santa Barbara is just 1-2 in Big West competition and posted a 7-0 victory over Riverside on Feb. 11. In addition its defeat at UOP, UCSB lost to Irvine on Feb. 19. After its game against Boise State on Thursday and a trip to battle Northridge on the road on Friday in a makeup for a rainout earlier in the month, the Gauchos will return to Santa Barbara for an 11-game home swing, culminated by a dual with conference foe Fullerton on April 8.

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