MORAGA, Calif. -- Junior Mayya Gorbunova and sophomore Grace McSkimming each posted singles wins, while Weronika Ejsmont and Best Lee teamed up for a win in doubles, but it wasn't enough to get past host Saint Mary's on Friday as Sacramento State fell to the Gaels, 5-2, at the Timothy Korth Tennis Complex in Moraga, Calif.

The Hornets fell to 4-3 overall on the season with the defeat, while Saint Mary's evened up its record at 2-2 with the home victory.

Ejsmont and Lee opened the day on a high note for Sacramento State, winning the first doubles contest of the afternoon by a 6-1 score over the Gaels' Stefanie Silva and Tian Yu Dong at the No. 2 spot in the lineup. The win evened the pair's record at 3-3 overall on the year, snapping a brief two-match skid.

Trailing 1-0 in the match after dropping the doubles point for the second straight dual, the Hornets found themselves quickly in a 3-0 hole after Saint Mary's claimed straight-set wins at No. 2 and No. 3 singles. McSkimming got her team on the board with a win at No. 6, defeating Jamie Pope in straight sets, 7-5, 6-4.

The win was McSkimming's fifth in singles this year — and her second straight — improving the Corona, Calif., native to 5-2 overall on the year, good for second on the team.

However, the excitement was short-lived as the Gaels clinched the match with a win at No. 5 as Dong battled back from a first-set loss to Julia Moraes, taking the final two sets for the win.

Gorbunova kept her singles record unblemished at the No. 1 spot in the Sacramento State lineup, rebounding from a 6-4 loss in the opening set against Jordan Harris to win 7-5 in the second. The junior then led 3-2 in the decisive third set before Harris was forced to retire due to injury.

The Moscow, Russia, native is now a perfect 7-0 on the year — all at the top spot in the singles lineup — and is a combined 12-2 when you include doubles play.

Sacramento State closes out the weekend back home on Saturday (Feb. 18) at Noon, hosting Tarleton at the Sacramento State Tennis Courts on campus.

NCAA WOMEN'S TENNIS
Saint Mary's 5, Sacramento State 2
Feb. 17, 2023 // Moraga, Calif. (Timothy Korth Tennis Complex)

DOUBLES
1. Jordan Harris / Lene Mari Hovda (SMC) def. Mayya Gorbunova / Tsveti Yotova (SAC), 6-4
2. Weronika Ejsmont / Best Lee (SAC) def. Stefanie Silva / Tian Yu Dong (SMC), 6-1
3. Olivia Rook / Madison Weekley (SMC) def. Maddy Ferreros / Alexis Johnson (SAC), 6-2

Order of finish: 2, 3, 1*

SINGLES
1. Mayya Gorbunova (SAC) def. Jordan Harris (SMC), 4-6, 7-5, 3-2 ret.
2. Lene Mari Hovda (SMC) def. Maddy Ferreros (SAC), 6-2, 6-0
3. Olivia Rook (SMC) def. Tsveti Yotova (SAC), 6-3,  7-6 (5)
4. Stefanie Silva (SMC) def. Weronika Ejsmont (SAC), 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
5. Tian Yu Dong (SMC) def. Julia Moraes (SAC), 3-6, 7-5, 6-0
6. Grace McSkimming (SAC) def. Jamie Pope (SMC), 7-5, 6-4

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