TURLOCK — It's a tough way to make its debut, but the No. 22 Cal State Stanislaus women's tennis team competed and challenged the five-time defending champion UC San Diego Tritons before dropping a 7-2 decision.
The Warriors program finally got the spring season underway on Thursday after two rain-outs and faced a UCSD team, currently ranked No. 26, that has now won 51 consecutive California Collegiate Athletic Association dual matches dating back to 2004.
UC San Diego improves to 3-1 overall and 3-0 in the CCAA while the Warriors are 0-1 in their first official match.
Thursday's match was closer than the scores indicated. In the end, the more experienced players overcame deficits to make the difference.
"It was a winnable match for us, but we lost some key points at key moments at every position," CSUS head coach
Verek Visaraga said. "They are a little deeper than us but there was not one position that we can't win today. It's a part of being a young team and I am proud of how we competed."
The No. 1 doubles team of
Verena Preikschas and
Katie Eng highlighted the day for the Warriors as they defeated UCSD's top doubles team of Ina Dan and Taskeen Bains, 8-4. Preikschas and Eng ran off to a 3-0 start and led the whole way for the victor to hand Dan and Bains their first loss as a No. 1 doubles team this spring.
The other two doubles teams for the Warriors did not go down quietly either.
Vanesa Reibstein and
Brianna McClintock lost to Natalie Varnay and Anita Athavale, 5-8, at No. 2 doubles. At No. 3 doubles, UCSD's team of Valerie Tang and Tessa Tran defeated
Heather Cotter and
Lexy Harrington, 8-4.
In singles competition, No. 1 Preikschas was dominating and winning 4-1 in the first set when Varnay retired. Varnay was believed to be recovering from pneumonia.
At No. 2, Vanessa Reibstein won the first set 6-2 and was ahead 5-2 in the second set, but returning All-CCAA player Ina Dan turned the tide and won in three, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5) and 10-6.
Eng was also up to the challenge at No. 3 before falling in three, 7-5, 4-6, 11-9, to Athavale.
Next up for the Warriors is Cal State San Bernardino when the Coyotes visit Saturday for a 11 a.m. match.
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