Box Score BERKELEY, Calif -- Sacramento State freshman Ana Loaiza Esquivias forced three sets and doubles had a good showing in the regular season finale against No. 4 California, but the Bears took the match 7-0, on Friday at the Hellman Tennis Complex.
Sacramento State finished the season with a 16-10 overall record, and had a perfect 11-0 record in the Big Sky Conference. The Hornets will be the No. 1 seed in the Big Sky Tournament.
In doubles play, the Hornets were able to push their Bears (19-3) opponents at No. 2 and 3. The duo of sophomore's Alina Soltanici and Deimante Bulatovaite were outlasted by Denise Starr and Cecilia Estlander 8-7 at No. 2 doubles.
Soltanici and Bulatovaite had won their previous three matches heading into today.
At No. 3 doubles, the pair of junior Daria Savchenko and Loaiza Esquivias tested the Bears, but fell 8-5. Juniors Jennifer Ong and Olivia Boija fell to the No. 10 duo of Klara Fabikova and Zsofi Susanyi, 8-2, to give the Bears the opening point.
In singles play, Loaiza Esquivias dropped the first set, but took the second, to force a third set. The Hornet freshman was outlasted in the final set, losing the match 6-1, 4-6, 10-5.
Loaiza Esquivias finished the season with 17 wins for Sacramento State, the most on the team.
Four Sacramento State players faced top 100 ranked opponents, two for the first time this season.
At No. 1, the Hornet's Soltanici faced her highest ranked opponent of the season, in No. 24 Fabikova. Soltanici lost in straight sets, 6-1, 6-0.
Sacramento State's Bulatovaite had a strong first set, but was outlasted by Cal's No. 48 Denise Starr, 7-5, 6-1, at No. 2 singles. Redshirt freshman Anna-Maria Nau fell to the Bears' No. 40 Zsofi Susanyi in straight sets, 6-0, 6-0.
At No. 4 singles, Ong was topped by No. 89 Karla Popovic, 6-1, 6-2. Sacramento State's Boija also fell in straight sets, 6-0, 6-2.
Despite the loss, Sacramento State's 16 wins during the regular season was the most since 2012. The Hornets have clinched a first round bye in April 24-26's Big Sky Tournament and will play against the lowest remaining seed from round one on Saturday, April 25 at 2 p.m.