SACRAMENTO -- Freshman Irene Riva dominated her decisive third set against Long Beach State's Hana Becirovic Novak in a marathon clincher at No. 6 singles, defeating her opponent, 7-5, 6-7 (9), 6-0, to clinch a 4-3 victory for Sacramento State on the road on Saturday at the Rhodes Tennis Center in Long Beach, Calif.
Off to their best start through nine matches since the 2012 team also opened with a 6-3 record, the Hornets won their fourth consecutive dual — the team's longest winning streak since winning five straight matches from March 18-29, 2019 — improving to 6-3 overall on the season and defeating The Beach for the first time since a 7-0 shutout in 2005. It was also Sacramento State's first win on the road against Long Beach State since a 5-2 triumph in 2004.
Long Beach State fell to 3-3 overall with the loss.
Doubles went quickly to the Hornets, who swept the doubles point for the first time this season and clinched a 1-0 lead in a dual for the third straight contest. Freshman Lou Baudouin and senior Mayya Gorbunova put their team on the board first with a 6-2 win at No. 3, followed by a 6-3 win at No. 2 by Maddy Ferreros and Riva to officially clinch the point. Weronika Ejsmont and Best Lee then completed the sweep with a 6-3 win at No. 1.
Ferreros got singles play off to a good start with a straight-set, 6-3, 6-3, win over Doga Akyurek at No. 2 for a 2-0 lead in the match before Long Beach State broke onto the scoreboard with a win at No. 3 in straight sets over Ejsmont, 6-3, 6-2.
Gorbunova put Long Beach State's collective backs against the wall with a win at No. 1, defeating Rhona Cook, 6-4, 7-6 (6), for a 3-1 lead, but The Beach answered with a three-set win at No. 4 and a straight-set win at No. 5 to tie the contest at three apiece.
That set the stage for Riva, who split the first two sets before posting her shutout in the third to clinch the victory.
The win for Riva was her sixth straight as she improved to 7-1 overall on the year in singles play, while Gorbunova improved to 4-1 at the top spot in the lineup with her second straight victory. Baudouin, who entered the match with a perfect 8-0 record in singles suffered her first loss of the year in a three-set marathon in the No. 4 spot.
Meanwhile, in doubles, the tandem of Ferreros and Riva won their third straight as a pair, improving to 3-0 as a team this season.
Sacramento State goes in search of its fifth consecutive victory on Sunday (Feb. 25), wrapping up its Southern California trip with a match at UC Riverside at 10 a.m.
NCAA WOMEN'S TENNIS
Sacramento State, 4, Long Beach State 3
Feb. 24, 2024 // Long Beach, Calif. (Rhodes Tennis Center)
DOUBLES
1. Weronika Ejsmont / Best Lee (SAC) def. Rhona Cook / Peppi Ramstedt (LB), 6-3
2. Maddy Ferreros / Irene Riva (SAC) def. Doga Akyurek / Hana Becirovic Novak (LB), 6-3
3. Lou Baudouin / Mayya Gorbunova (SAC) def. Paulina Franco / Mathilde Tranberg (LB), 6-2
Order of finish: 3, 2*, 1
SINGLES
1. Mayya Gorbunova (SAC) def. Rhona Cook (LB), 6-4, 7-6 (8-6)
2. Maddy Ferreros (SAC) def. Doga Akyurek (LB), 6-3, 6-3
3. Peppi Ramstedt (LB) def. Weronika Ejsmont (SAC), 6-3, 6-2
4. Justine Dondonay (LB) def. Lou Baudouin (SAC), 6-2, 2-6, 6-3
5. Sarah Medik (LB) def. Reese Walker (SAC), 6-4, 7-6 (8-6)
6. Irene Riva (SAC) def. Hana Becirovic Novak (LB), 7-5, 6-7 (9-11), 6-0
Order of finish: 2, 3, 1, 4, 5, 6*
