The UCSB women’s tennis traveled to the Bay Area on Saturday to face San Jose State and dropped a tough decision 4-3. Santa Barbara was looking for a win in San Jose, which would have resulted in its first two-game win streak of the season. However, San Jose outlasted UCSB and dropped the Gauchos to a 2-8 record overall with a 1-1 conference record. Meanwhile with the victory, the Spartans boosted themselves to 5-8 overall.

The day started well for the Gauchos, who split the singles matches 3-3. UCSB’s junior Stacy Yam defeated junior Julianna Bacelar of SJSU at the fourth spot 6-4, 6-2. Santa Barbara freshman Jaimee Gilbertson beat junior Jessica Willett of San Jose 6-3, 6-4 at the fifth spot and sophomore Luisa Ortiz Candido was victorious over freshman Tipper Truong 6-2, 6-1.

The match was to be decided by the doubles matches, a section where the Gauchos have been trying to improve significantly. San Jose outperformed the Gauchos, however, and drubbed UCSB in the doubles matches to gain the final point and consequently the victory over the Gauchos.

Santa Barbara dropped the first doubles match 8-6 as the duo of junior April Scatliffe/sophomore Priscila Garcia fell to the Spartans’ freshman Gaelle Rey/senior Sabastiani Leon Chao 8-6. The second and decisive doubles match came with the victory of SJSU’s Willett/Bacelar over UCSB’s Candido/freshman Kaiulani Boyer 8-3.

San Jose was clearly the better team in the fierce matchup, however, UCSB showed up and displayed the mental stamina and improved stability that it has been working for all season. The Gauchos were extremely close to the upset of the Spartans and should take this match not as much as a loss, but as a foundation to set their future matches on.

The Gauchos will next face UC Davis at the Recreation Center Tennis Courts this Saturday. The match is set to begin at noon.

 

This article is an online exclusive and did not appear in the print edition of The Daily Nexus.

Photo by Peter Vandenbelt of The Daily Nexus.

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