The UCSB women’s tennis team, in a flurry of action over Spring Break, managed to defeat three out of the five teams they faced. The Gauchos now hold a record of 12-7 overall and 5-1 in Big West action.

The Gauchos kicked off Dead Week with a 5-2 win over visiting East Tennessee State. UCSB won two out of the three doubles matches to take the doubles point, giving them a 1-0 advantage going into the singles matches. In the singles matches, UCSB won four out of the six matches to give the Gauchos their third straight win.

After the defeat of East Tennessee, the Gauchos had their mini win streak ended by a 4-2 defeat at the hands of San Francisco, in a game that would eventually be called because of rain. Both teams were unable to play the doubles point, so they jumped right into singles play instead. Seniors Marielle Gruenig and Chelsea Glynn both defeated their respective opponents, 6-0, 6-0 and 6-3, 6-3, to give the Gauchos a 2-0 advantage. However, seniors Leslie Damion and Mio Fukushima, junior Kristen Wilson and sophomore Charlotte Scatliffe were all defeated by their USF opponents, handing the Gauchos a 4-2 loss.

UCSB then welcomed ex-Big West opponent Utah State back to Santa Barbara, sweeping the Aggies, 7-0. The Gauchos kicked off the match by sweeping the doubles point with a lineup that was different from their everyday one. Damion was moved up from No. 3 doubles to partner up with Glynn to defeat Utah State’s senior Jill Smith and junior Lauren Monson, 8-3. Senior Amy Vyhnis and sophomore Brittany Kausen, both of whom recorded some playing time earlier in the season, teamed up for the first time this season to defeat sophomore Courtney Anderson and freshman Dee-Dee Nelson, 8-6, in a match at No. 3 doubles

After taking some time off to allow the team to finish up finals, the Gauchos went on a road trip to face Loyola Marymount. There, the Gauchos were defeated 5-2. Gruenig and Glynn defeated sophomore Pavla Mesterova and junior Robyn Baker in No. 2 singles, 8-0. Both players also defeated Mesterova and Baker in No. 1 and No. 2 singles, respectively, picking up the lone points for Santa Barbara.

In the final game over the break, the Gauchos defeated Pacific 5-2 in a Big West showdown. The Gauchos swept the doubles matches to take a 1-0 advantage into singles play. In the singles portion, Gruenig, Scatliffe, Damion and Kausen defeated their Pacific opponents in two sets each to give the Gauchos the 5-2 win. The Gauchos have now won five out of their last seven matches.

Next up for Santa Barbara is a road trip to Big West opponent #53 UC Irvine for a match that will be played April 7 at 1:30 p.m., weather permitting.