HONOLULU -- Senior Mayya Gorbunova picked up right where she left off in 2023 with a win at No. 1 singles while a pair of newcomers won in their debuts on Thursday evening in Honolulu, but the doubles point proved crucial as host Hawai'i edged out Sacramento State in a 4-3 victory at the UH Tennis Complex.
The Hornets opened the spring season with an 0-1 record while the Rainbow Wahine evened their early-season record at 1-1.
Hawai'i took the early lead with wins at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles to go up 1-0 in the match, and took a 2-0 lead with a win at No. 4 before Sacramento State began to rally back.
Redshirt freshman Lou Baudouin, who missed all of 2023 due to injury, took home a straight-set win in her Hornet debut, defeating Johannah Magenta Galindo, 6-1, 6-3, at the No. 6 singles spot. Hawai'i then won in straight sets at No. 2 before freshman Elena Mercioiu picked up her first collegiate win with a 7-6 (4), 6-2, win over Joelle Lanz at No. 5 to make it a 3-2 contest.
The Rainbow Wahine then clinched the dual with a straight-set win at No. 3, leaving Gorbunova the only Hornet standing. The senior, who led the team with a 15-6 overall record a season ago at the top spot in the singles lineup, rebounded from an opening set loss to win the second set in a tiebreaker and hand Hawai'i's Ana Vilcek a, 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-3 defeat to close out the night.
Sacramento State wraps up its trip to the islands on Friday (Jan. 19) at 1 p.m. PT, taking on Hawai'i Pacific.
NCAA WOMEN'S TENNIS
Hawai'i 4, Sacramento State 3
Jan. 18, 2024 // Honolulu, Hawai'i (UH Tennis Complex)
DOUBLES
1. Nelly Knezkova / Ana Vilcek (UH) def. Lou Baudouin / Irene Riva (SAC), 7-5
2. Nikola Homolkova / Sheena Masuda (UH) def. Mayya Gorbunova / Maddy Ferreros (SAC), 6-3
3. Weronika Ejsmont / Reese Walker vs. Johannah Magenta Galindo / Anna Kern (UH), unfinished
Order of finish: 2, 1*
SINGLES
1. Mayya Gorbunova (SAC) def. Ana Vilcek (UH), 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-3
2. Nelly Knezkova (UH) def. Maddy Ferreros (SAC), 6-2, 6-1
3. Nikola Homolkova (UH) def. Weronika Ejsmont (SAC), 6-3, 7-6 (3)
4. Sheena Masuda (UH) def. Reese Walker (SAC), 5-4, ret.
5. Elena Mercioiu (SAC) def. Joelle Lanz (UH), 7-6 (4), 6-2
6. Lou Baudouin (SAC) def. Johannah Magenta Galindo (UH), 6-1, 6-3
Order of finish: 4, 6, 2, 5, 3*, 1
