UC Irvine
UC Davis
Anteaters Drop Tough One to UC Davis, 4-2
April 02, 2017 | Women's Tennis
IRVINE, Calif. - The UC Irvine women's tennis team dropped a tough 4-2 decision to UC Davis in a Big West showdown Sunday afternoon at Anteater Tennis Stadium.
The 'Eaters (3-13, 0-3 Big West) put up a fight with three of their singles matches going to a third set.
UCI trailed 1-0 after losing the doubles point, but junior Vivien Dvali quickly got the home team on the board with a dominant 6-3, 6-2 victory over Lani-Rae Green at No. 2. It was Dvali's first appearance in the lineup since March 4 as an injury forced her to miss five contests.
The Anteaters then took a 2-1 lead when sophomore Stephanie Hazell dispatched Samantha Martino, 6-3, 7-5 at the No. 5 spot. The Aggies responded by evening the score with a win on court three.
At No. 6, junior Ashlynn Hall came back from a first-set loss and a 4-1 deficit in the third, but was unable to complete the comeback in a 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 defeat to Kelsie Bryant.
The match was then decided at the fourth position where senior Cassidy Branstine was locked in a seesaw battle with Nikita Pradeep. Branstine looked like she was on her way to a straight-set win as she cruised to a 6-1 triumph in the opener and led 4-1 in the second, but Pradeep then turned the tables as she came from behind for the 7-5 victory. The back-and-forth affair continued in the third with Pradeep eventually pulling out the match-clinching win at 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 (6).
At the top of the lineup, freshman Constance Branstine was leading in her match with Kristy Jorgensen when the dual was decided. Branstine had climbed out of a 6-2 hole in the second-set tiebreaker, reeling off six consecutive points for the 8-6 victory. The Orange, Calif., native carried that momentum into the third frame as she was up 6-7 (2), 7-6 (6), 4-1.
In doubles, UC Davis (14-7, 2-4 Big West) secured the early point with wins at Nos. 1 and 2. On court three, Dvali and junior Hali Dickson defeated Martino/Pradeep, 6-3.
UC Irvine continues Big West action on the road next weekend when it makes its way to Cal Poly (April 8) and UC Santa Barbara (April 9).
Players Mentioned
