3SACRAMENTO -- The winning streak for the Sacramento State women's tennis team grew by one on Tuesday afternoon as the Hornets won their ninth straight dual with a 6-1 victory over Big Sky Conference rival Idaho State at the Sacramento State Tennis Courts on campus.
Tuesday's victory moved Sacramento State to 11-3 overall and 2-0 in conference play on the year, matching its win total from all of last season and posting the program's longest winning streak since claiming victory in 12 consecutive duals from Feb. 12-April 1, 2005. The nine straight victories also make up the third-longest winning streak for the program since 1992, trailing the 12 straight wins in 2005 and 18 consecutive victories from Feb. 14 to May 1, 2004.
The Hornets' 11-3 start is also the best through 14 matches since the 2008 squad opened with the same record en route to a 21-7 overall record, an 8-0 Big Sky mark, and an NCAA Tournament berth.
Idaho State, meanwhile, had its six-match winning streak snapped, falling to 7-4 overall and 2-1 in league play on the year. It was the Bengals' first defeat since a 5-2 loss against Washington State on Jan. 26.
Sacramento State opened the day by winning the doubles point for the seventh time during its nine-match winning streak, earning wins at No. 2 and No. 3 by identical 6-3 scores for the 1-0 lead in the match. The duo of Maddy Ferreros and Irene Riva picked up the win at the No. 2 spot, improving to 7-1 on the year as a pair, while Lou Baudouin and Mayya Gorbunova wrapped up a win at No. 3, winning their fourth straight as a tandem.
The Hornets then made it 3-0 in their favor rather quickly thanks to straight-set wins at No. 2 and No. 5. Junior Maddy Ferreros posted a 6-1, 6-3, win over Lola O'Lideadha at the second spot, while freshman Reese Walker followed suit with a 6-0, 6-4, win at No. 5 for her third consecutive win.
After Idaho State broke up the shutout with a straight-set win at No. 6, Gorbunova then wrapped up the victory for Sacramento State, dispatching the Bengals' Hana Cho, 6-3, 6-3, at the No. 1 spot to improve to 9-1 overall on the year — all at the No. 1 spot — and win her seventh straight match.
Freshmen Elena Mercioiu and Irene Riva then completed the Hornets' avalanche of wins in singles, with the former outlasting Asem Shoybek in three sets, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2, and the latter defeating Sol O'Lideadha, 4-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-0). The win for Riva improved her record to 12-1 overall on the year, winning her 11th straight match.
Sacramento State takes a break from conference play with a Wednesday (March 20) dual at home against Saint Mary's at 2 p.m. The match was originally scheduled for Feb. 29 before weather forced a postponement.
NCAA WOMEN'S TENNIS
Sacramento State 6, Idaho State 1
March 19, 2024 // Sacramento, Calif. (Sacramento State Tennis Courts)
DOUBLES
1. Weronika Ejsmont / Best Lee (SAC) vs. Sol O'Lideadha / Lola O'Lideadha (ISU), 5-4 unfinished
2. Maddy Ferreros / Irene Riva (SAC) def. Stefanya Shalakhova / Asem Shoybek (ISU), 6-3
3. Lou Baudouin / Mayya Gorbunova (SAC) def. Hana Cho / Megan Lang Gould (ISU), 6-3
Order of finish: 3, 2*
SINGLES
1. Mayya Gorbunova (SAC) vs. Hana Cho (ISU), 6-3, 6-3
2. Maddy Ferreros (SAC) def. Lola O'Lideadha (ISU), 6-1, 6-3
3. Elena Mercioiu (SAC) def. Asem Shoybek (ISU), 6-2, 5-7, 6-2
4. Irene Riva (SAC) def. Sol O'Lideadha (ISU), 4-6, 7-5, 1-0 (10-0)
5. Reese Walker (SAC) def. Stefanya Shalakhova (ISU), 6-0, 6-4
6. Megan Lang Gould (ISU) def. Weronika Ejsmont (SAC), 6-1, 6-3
Order of finish: 2, 5, 6, 1*, 4, 3
