TURLOCK — The Stanislaus State women's tennis team played its first dual match in 705 days and started its 2022 spring season the way its 2020 campaign abruptly ended – with a 7-0 sweep, this one over PacWest Conference opponent Holy Names at the Stan State Tennis Courts.
 
Stanislaus State (1-0) blew through the doubles point to start the match, then swept the singles competition with wins at the top-four spots and defaults at Nos. 5 and 6. About three weeks short of two years ago, the Warriors swept Mills College, 7-0, in Oakland, on March 8, 2020, but wouldn't play another dual match until Friday.
 
"It was great to be back on the court after two years of not competing," said Stanislaus State head coach Verek Visaraga. "I was impressed with my team and they competed today."
 
Amber Huk and Sylvana Talamantes teamed up for a 6-2 win at No. 1 doubles. Annabelle Mulick and Alyssa Tay beat HNU's Ella Lavender and Ana Rios at No. 2 doubles, 6-4, to clinch the point for Stan State and give them an early 1-0 lead.
 
Holy Names (1-1) only brought four players to compete, so it didn't field a No. 3 doubles team, nor singles players at the No. 5 or 6 slots, so all the Warriors had to do was win one singles match to clinch the win. Instead, they swept all four.
 
Huk had to come from behind and go to a tie-breaker to win her tightly contested No. 1 singles match over HNU's Lada Baglaeva. She fell in the first set, 7-5, then won the second, 6-4, before taking the tiebreaker, 10-5.
 
Mulick swept her No. 2 singles match over Lucy Rekasch, 6-2, 6-1, as did Talamantes at No. 4 by identical scores over Lavender. Kate Bolton, like Huk, also came from behind to win her No. 3 singles match. She dropped the first set, 6-1, but would win the second, 6-4, and take the tiebreaker, 10-4.
 
"I was especially proud of the returning players: Sylvana Talamantes, Kate Bolton and Amber Huk for their ability to get through this COVID-19 pandemic that hit our country, county and university. Even though they had to wait two years to get back on the court, it was impressive how they – as well as the rest of the team – was able to bounce back."
 
Stanislaus State next travels to NAIA member William Jessup for a non-conference dual on Friday, then are at Fresno Pacific for another PacWest match on Feb. 19. The Warriors return home to host PacWest foe Academy of Art on Feb. 26.
 
Stanislaus State 7, Holy Names 0
Turlock, Calif. – Stan State Tennis Courts
Feb. 11, 2021
 
Singles
1. Amber Huk (STAN) def. Lada Baglaeva (HNU), 5-7, 6-4, 1-0 (10-5)
2. Annabelle Mulick (STAN) def. Lucy Rekasch (HNU), 6-2, 6-1
3. Kate Bolton (STAN) def. Ana Rios (HNU), 1-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-4)
4. Sylvana Talamantes (STAN) def. Ella Lavender (HNU), 6-2, 6-1
5. Alyssa Tay (STAN) wins by default
6. Maya Young (STAN) wins by default
 
Doubles
1. Huk/Talamantes (STAN) def. Baglaeva/Rekasch (HNU), 6-2
2. Mulick/Tay (STAN) def. Lavender/Rios (HNU), 6-4
3. Bolton/Young (STAN) win by default