IRVINE, Calif. -- Sophomore Grace McSkimming rallied for a shutout in the third set of her match against Larissa Teramuna, helping the Sacramento State women's tennis team bounce back from an early deficit and edge host UC Irvine, 4-3, on Saturday afternoon at the UC Irvine Tennis Stadium.

Playing in its fourth match decided by a 4-3 score this season, the win improved the Hornets to 4-2 overall on the year and earned them a split of their two-match Southern California swing, defeating the Anteaters in the first meeting between the two programs since 2018 and posting their second-straight win in the series. UC Irvine, meanwhile, suffered their first loss of the year in four tries, falling to 3-1 overall.

For the first time this season, it was not Sacramento State jumping out to the early lead as the Anteaters posted wins at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles for the 1-0 lead in the match. The Hornets' did, however, grab a win at No. 3 as the duo of Maddy Ferreros and Alexis Johnson improved to 4-0 on the year as a team, taking down Asha Gidwani and Amanda Perez, 6-1.

The Hornets quickly regained composure and opened singles play in dominating fashion, posting victories at the top three spots in the lineup in straight sets to take a 3-1 lead in the match. Reigning Big Sky Conference Player of the Week Mayya Gorbunova continued her torrid start to the year, improving to 6-0 with a straight-set win over Jenna Schlatter, 6-1, 6-3, at No. 1, while Ferreros defeated Alyssia Fossorier, 6-2, 6-3, at No. 2 to put the Hornets in front.

Senior Tsveti Yotova clinched Sacramento State's third point of the day with a 6-3, 6-4, win over Gidwani, but the Anteaters responded with back-to-back wins at No. 5 and No. 4 to tie the match at three-points apiece.

That sent all eyes to the No. 6 singles match where McSkimming opened with a 6-4 win in the first and led 6-5 in the second before falling 7-6 (4) in a tie-breaker to send it to a deciding third set. There, the sophomore did not drop a point, shutting out Larissa Teramura by a 6-0 score to clinch the victory.

McSkimming improved to 4-2 overall with the win, tied with Ferreros for second on the team in wins behind Gorbunova's undefeated mark. Yotova, with her win at No. 3, picked up her third singles triumph of the season.

Sacramento State remains on the road for a match at Saint Mary's on Friday (Feb. 17), before coming home to face Tarleton on Saturday (Feb. 18) at Noon.

NCAA WOMEN'S TENNIS
Sacramento State 4, UC Irvine 3
Feb. 11, 2023 // Irvine, Calif. (UC Irvine Tennis Stadium)

DOUBLES
1. Emily Fowler / Carolyna Fowler (UCI) def. Mayya Gorbunova / Tsveti Yotova (SAC), 6-3
2. Alyssia Fossorier / Jenna Schlatter (UCI) def. Weronika Ejsmont / Best Lee (SAC), 6-1
3. Maddy Ferreros / Alexis Johnson (SAC) def. Asha Gidwani / Amanda Perez (UCI), 6-1

Order of finish: 3, 2, 1*

SINGLES
1. Mayya Gorbunova (SAC) def. Jenna Schlatter (UCI), 6-1, 6-3
2. Maddy Ferreros (SAC) def. Alyssia Fossorier (UCI), 6-2, 6-3
3. Tsveti Yotova (SAC) def. Asha Gidwani (UCI), 6-3, 6-4
4. Amanda Perez (UCI) def. Julia Moraes (SAC), 7-6 (9-7), 6-4
5. Haily Huynh (UCI) def. Best Lee (SAC), 6-3, 6-2
6. Grace McSkimming (SAC) def. Larissa Teramura (UCI), 6-4, 6-7 (4-7), 6-0

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

* - denotes clinching match