SACRAMENTO -- In a match befitting a pair of nationally ranked teams going head-to-head, Friday's clash between host and No. 49-ranked Sacramento State and No. 50-ranked Cal Poly came down to a third-set tiebreaker in the final singles contest of the day, with the Mustangs emerging victorious to clinch a 4-3 win over the Hornets at the Sacramento State Tennis Complex on campus.
After winning its first seven dual matches of the year and playing at home for the first time in more than a month, Sacramento State suffered its first defeat of the 2025 spring, falling to 7-1 overall on the season. Meanwhile, Cal Poly improved to 7-2 overall on the year.
The Hornets clinched the doubles point with dominating 6-1 victories at the No. 2 and No. 3 spots in the lineup to take a 1-0 lead in the match.
Cal Poly then ran off three consecutive victories, winning in three sets at No. 5, No. 1, and No. 2 — the latter two extended to three sets — to put the Mustangs on the verge of victory. Sophomore Irene Riva stopped the bleeding and pulled her team to within a point by outlasting Natalie Lynch, 5-7, 6-2, 7-5, at No. 6 and was followed by sophomore Lou Baudouin, who defeated Romane Mosse at the No. 3 spot, 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, to tie things up at three apiece.
That sent all eyes to the match at No. 4 where Cal Poly's Alexandra Ozerets took the first set in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (8), before sophomore Elena Mercioiu answered with a 6-2 win in the second to even things up. Of course, as it had been all day, the decisive third set was destined to go to a tiebreaker, where Ozerets was able to push past Mercioiu for a 7-6 (2) match clinching victory.
Baudouin, Riva, and Mercioiu, all played in their first three-set singles matches of the year, while Ferreros and Walker fell to 2-2 in that category this season. The tandem of Baudouin and Pranyte became the sixth different pairing to clinch the doubles point this year for the Hornets.
With her victory at No. 3 singles, Baudouin improved to 6-1 overall on the year while splitting time between the No. 2 and No. 3 spots in the lineup, while Mercioiu suffered her first defeat of the season in singles, falling to 6-1.
Sacramento State has little time to waste before its next match as the Hornets play host to Nevada on Saturday (March 1) at Noon. The match was originally scheduled to be played on Sunday (March 2) in Reno, Nev., but impending inclement weather in the forecast forced the change of venue.
NCAA WOMEN'S TENNIS
#50 Cal Poly 4, #49 Sacramento State 3
Feb. 28, 2025 // Sacramento, Calif. (Sacramento State Tennis Complex)
DOUBLES
1. Kennedy Buntrock / Romane Mosse (CP) def. Weronika Ejsmont / Palina Saulevich (SAC), 6-0
2. Maddy Ferreros / Irene Riva (SAC) def. Peyton Dunkle / Amy Leather (CP), 6-1
3. Lou Baudouin / Emilija Pranyte (SAC) def. Natalie Lynch / Sarah MacCallum (CP), 6-1
Order of finish: 1, 2, 3*
SINGLES
1. Kennedy Buntrock (CP) def. Maddy Ferreros (SAC), 1-6, 6-1, 6-4
2. Peyton Dunkle (CP) def. Reese Walker (SAC), 6-4, 5-7, 6-3
3. Lou Baudouin (SAC) def. Romane Mosse (CP), 6-4, 5-7, 6-3
4. Alexandra Ozerets (CP) def. Elena Mercioiu (SAC), 7-6 (8), 2-6, 7-6 (2)
5. Jessica MacCallum (CP) def. Emilija Pranyte (SAC), 6-3, 6-3
6. Irene Riva (SAC) def. Natalie Lynch (CP), 5-7, 6-2, 7-5
Order of finish: 5, 1, 2, 6, 3, 4*
