INDIAN WELLS, Calif. --- Third-seed UC Irvine got the much-needed first round win in the Big West Tournament over sixth-seed Cal State Northridge Friday morning, 4-1, at Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
UCI (15-7, 6-2) fought through a lengthy doubles round to pull out the early point. Franziska Goettsching and Kristina Smith continued to roll in doubles with an 8-3 victory, and Courtney Byron and Hannah Holladay scored an 8-6 win to solidify the point, a rather impressive performance against a Matador squad that was very successful during the regular season in doubles.
Smith powered through singles as well with a straight set win. The Matadors (12-9, 3-5) got a point back as Kat Facey went down in straight sets, but the Anteaters would take the rest of the match with a win from Byron and the clincher from Goettsching to propel UCI into the second round.
UCI's next opponent will be the UC Davis Aggies who swept Pacific today. The second-seeded Aggies defeated UCI down the stretch in Big West play up in Davis, 5-2. The match will take place at 8:00 a.m. out in Indian Wells, Calif. with the winner advancing to the championship match on Sunday at 9:00 a.m.
(3) #72 UC IRVINE 4, (6) CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE 1
April 27, 2012 - Indian Wells, Calif.
Indian Wells Tennis Garden
Big West Tournament Quarterfinal
Doubles
No. 1 - Byron/Holladay (UCI) def. Man-Son-Hing/Sher (CSUN) -- 8-6
No. 2 - Goettsching/Smith (UCI) def. Sirojiddinova/Yang (CSUN) -- 8-3
No. 3 - A. Facey/K. Facey (UCI) vs. Cheung/Pistalu (CSUN) -- DNF
UC Irvine wins the doubles point
Singles
No. 1 - Kristina Smith (UCI) def. Jennifer Sher (CSUN) -- 6-3, 6-1
No. 2 - Courtney Byron (UCI) def. Nigora Sirojiddinova (CSUN) -- 6-3, 6-2
No. 3 - Franziska Goettsching (UCI) def. Anna Yang (CSUN) -- 6-2, 6-4
No. 4 - Sabrina Man-Son-Hing (CSUN) def. Kat Facey (UCI) -- 6-3, 6-0
No. 5 - Marivick Mamiit (UCI) vs. Maria Pistalu (CSUN) -- DNF
No. 6 - Ali Facey (UCI) vs. Lorraine Cheung (CSUN) -- DNF
Order of Finish: Doubles - 2, 1 | Singles - 1, 4, 2, 3
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