LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Making the 16th all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament in the history of the program, the Hornets' title-winning 2026 season came to an unfortunate end on Friday afternoon in Los Angeles, falling to No. 13-ranked USC by a 4-0 score in the postseason's first round at Marks Tennis Stadium.
The Hornets wrapped up their season with a 19-6 overall record and a 7-1 mark in Big Sky Conference play, advancing to the postseason for the third consecutive season under Head Coach Sophie Breault. Sacramento State claimed its third straight league tournament crown and its season conference regular season crown in the last three season along the way.
With the victory, the Women of Troy improved to 20-6 overall and moved on to the second round to face former conference rival California — a 4-1 winner over Utah — in the second round.
USC quickly jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the match with the doubles point, snapping a run of 14 consecutive matches in which the Hornets had claimed the doubles point. The No. 27-ranked doubles team in the nation clinched a 6-3 win at the No. 1 spot and the Women of Troy wrapped it up with a 6-2 win at No. 2.
Switching to singles, USC won the first set in all six singles contests before finishing off wins at the No. 1, No. 5, and No. 6 spots in the lineup to clinch the win. Redshirt junior Lou Baudouin was leading in her second set, 6-5, at No. 2 when the match was halted, while junior Irene Riva was tied 3-3 in her second set.
NCAA TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUND
#13 USC 4, Sacramento State 0
May 1, 2026 // Los Angeles, Calif. (Marks Tennis Stadium)
DOUBLES
1. #27 Lily Fairclough / Krisha Mahendran (USC) def. Irene Riva / Palina Saulevich (SAC), 6-3
2. Immi Haddad / Emma Charney (USC) def. Lou Baudouin / Emilija Pranyte (SAC), 6-2
3. Cami Maldonado Gutierrez / Reese Walker (SAC) vs. Dani Borruel / Eugenia Zozaya (USC), 3-5 unfinished
SINGLES
1. #23 Jana Hossam (USC) def. Reese Walker (SAC), 6-0, 7-5
2. Lou Baudouin (SAC) vs. #107 Eugenia Zozaya (USC), 0-6, 6-5 unfinished
3. Irene Riva (SAC) vs. Immi Haddad (USC), 4-6, 3-3 unfinished
4. Cami Maldonado Gutierrez (SAC) vs. #72 Emma Charney (USC), 2-6, 2-4 unfinished
5. Krisha Mahendran (USC) def. Emilija Pranyte (SAC), 6-0, 6-3
6. Lily Fairclough (USC) def. Palina Saulevich (SAC), 6-1, 6-2
