SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – Stan State women's tennis opened the 2026-27 season with a productive two days of competition at the Dominican Hidden Duals, facing familiar PacWest opponents Dominican and Menlo in singles and doubles action.
The season-opening event provided the Warriors an early opportunity to test a reworked six-player lineup featuring four returners and transfers Lisa Lieberman and Nica Sobrapena. Stan State collected wins throughout the weekend, highlighted by an unbeaten singles performance from Emi Mikami and a strong response across the lineup on Saturday.
Day One Recap
The Warriors opened competition Friday with singles against players from Dominican and Menlo.
Mikami picked up Stan State's first singles victory of the new season with a 6-3, 7-5 result over Saucedo. Several other Warriors pushed their opening matches deep, including Abbigail Mulick and Alessandra Del Pino Carvajal.
Mulick responded after dropping her opening set against Verdial, taking the second 7-5 before falling 10-5 in the deciding match tiebreak. Del Pino Carvajal also forced a third-set tiebreak against Tatu, answering a 6-2 first-set loss with a 6-4 victory in the second before narrowly falling 10-8.
Stan State found additional success later Friday.
Sobrapena earned her first singles victory as a Warrior with a 6-3, 6-4 straight-set result over Kearney. Mikami continued her strong start with a commanding 6-1, 6-2 victory over Cooper, while Del Pino Carvajal broke through in another three-set battle. After dropping the first set 6-2, she answered with a 6-1 second set and captured the match tiebreak 10-8 over Kunis.
The opening day also marked Lieberman's first competition with Stan State after transferring from Hawai'i Pacific.
Day Two Recap
Stan State closed the weekend with its strongest singles session, collecting four victories Saturday.
Mulick battled through three sets against Breuer, winning the opener 6-2 before responding in the deciding match tiebreak for a 10-7 victory.
Katrine Damkjær put together a strong straight-set performance against Macay, winning 6-1, 6-2, while Sobrapena continued an impressive opening weekend by sweeping Kunis 6-0, 6-0.
Mikami completed her unbeaten singles weekend with another decisive performance, defeating Salvatierra 6-1, 6-0. The sophomore finished the Hidden Duals 3-0 in singles, dropping just 11 games across her three victories.
Del Pino Carvajal again showed her ability to extend matches. She responded from a 6-2 opening-set loss against Cooper with a 6-2 win in the second before falling 10-4 in the deciding tiebreak.
The Warriors also competed in multiple doubles sessions throughout the weekend, giving head coach Verek Visaraga an opportunity to evaluate different combinations with a roster that looks significantly different from a season ago.
Warriors Update
The opening weekend offered an encouraging first look at Stan State's returning core and newcomers.
Mikami led the way with three singles victories, while Sobrapena finished her first collegiate competition with Stan State with a 2-1 singles mark. Mulick, Damkjær and Del Pino Carvajal each added victories during the weekend, giving the Warriors contributions throughout the lineup.
The Hidden Duals also provided valuable early match experience for a young roster. Mulick is Stan State's lone senior, while Sobrapena enters as a junior and Damkjær, Del Pino Carvajal, Lieberman and Mikami comprise a four-player sophomore class.
With its first competition complete, Stan State now has an early foundation to build from as the fall season continues.
Up Next
Stan State returns to competition Oct. 15-18 at the ITA Regionals at the Haak Tennis Complex in Fresno.
The four-day event will give the Warriors another opportunity to compete against regional opposition in singles and doubles as the fall portion of the 2026-27 season continues.
