CHENEY, Wash. -- Sophomore Tsveti Yotova finished 2-0 on the day while freshman teammate Grace McSkimming also snatched a point for Sacramento State on Sunday afternoon, but the visiting Hornets fell to host Eastern Washington by a 5-2 score to close out Big Sky Conference play at the Jim Thorpe Fieldhouse in Cheney, Wash.

Following a 5-2 win over Idaho on Saturday to start the roadtrip, Sacramento State fell to 4-17 overall and closed out conference play with a 3-5 record against Big Sky rivals. The Eagles improved to 4-11 overall and 3-4 in league, snapping a five-match skid heading into their regular season finale against Idaho.

After EWU took a 6-3 win at No. 1 doubles, Yotova and teammate Paige Alter defeated Renata Gabuzyan and Kenzington Mann at the No. 2 spot by a 6-4 score to even things up at one apiece. The tandem of Maddy Ferreros and Alexis Johnson went back-and-forth with Scout Mathews and Isabella Foshee at No. 3, but the Eagles' duo eventually clinched the doubles point with a 7-5 win.

Alter and Yotova improved to 9-9 overall this season as a tandem, including a 6-2 mark against Big Sky opponents, winning four matches at No. 1 and remaining undefeated with a 5-0 record at the No. 2 spot. The tandem has won seven of their last nine — including fie straight from March 18-April 2. 

A win by Eastern Washington at No. 3 singles quickly put the Eagles up 2-0, but Yotova made quick worth of Mathews at the No. 2 spot, 6-2, 6-1, to put Sacramento State on the board. A win at No. 1 put the Eagles on the brink of victory and EWU clinched the contest with a win at No. 4 to go up 4-1. 

McSkimming answered with a straight-set, 6-3, 6-4, victory over Mann at No. 5, but that would be it for the Hornets as Eastern Washington finished the day with a win at No. 6 for the final 5-2 score.

Yotova's win was her seventh of the season, tying her with her doubles partner Alter for the team lead, and was her team-high fifth in Big Sky play, improving to 5-3 against conference opponents in singles. Meanwhile, McSkimming improved to 6-3 overall on the year with her victory on Sunday, four of those coming against league opponents.

Sacramento State has one more match remaining in the regular season, traveling across the Causeway to take on UC Davis in a non-conference match on Saturday (April 23). It stands as the final tune-up for the Hornets, who then head to Phoenix, Ariz., for the 2022 Big Sky Championships from April 28-30.

NCAA WOMEN'S TENNIS
Eastern Washington 5, Sacramento State 2
April 17, 2022 // Cheney, Wash.

Doubles:
1. Yasmin Mansouri / Jennifer Kida (EWU) def. Weronika Ejsmont / Best Lee (SAC), 6-3
2. Tsveti Yotova / Paige Alter (SAC) def. Renata Gabuzyan / Kenzington Mann (EWU), 6-4
3. Scout Mathews / Isabella Foshee (EWU) def. Maddy Ferreros / Alexis Johnson (SAC), 7-5

Order of Finish: 1,2,3*

Singles:
1. Jennifer Kida (EWU) def. Weronika Ejsmont (SAC), 6-3, 6-2
2. Tsveti Yotova (SAC) def. Scout Mathews (EWU), 6-2, 6-1
3. Yasmin Mansouri (EWU) def. Maddy Ferreros (SAC), 6-0, 6-3
4. Renata Gabuzyan (EWU) def. Paige Alter (SAC), 6-0, 7-6
5. Grace McSkimming (SAC) def. Kenzington Mann (EWU), 6-3, 6-4
6. Isabella Foshee (EWU) def. Megan Tagaloa (SAC), 6-1, 7-5

Order of Finish: 3, 2, 1, 4*, 5, 6