SAN DIEGO – UC Irvine left it all on the courts, taking five singles matches to three-sets, but came up short in a 4-1 loss to Long Beach State in the first round of the Big West Championship.
 
The Beach dominated in the doubles portion of the matching, earning 6-2 wins on both courts one and three to take the early 1-0 lead in the dual. Carolyna Fowler and Yen Nhi Huynh were down 5-3 on court two when the point was clinched.
 
The Anteaters dropped a straight-set match, 6-3, 6-0, at No. 3 which handed LBSU a 2-0 edge. Haily Huynh at the No. 5 spot, bounced back from a setback in set one to force the extra frame with her 6-1 second set win. While other three-setters were taking place, H. Huynh's was the first to finish 6-3, 1-6, 6-1 in favor of the Beach as UCI trailed 3-0.
 
Y. Huynh, the reigning Big West Player of the Week, was able to clean up for the 'Eaters for the third consecutive match as she put UCI on the board with her 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory over at No. 3. The win marked her 16th individual victory of the season and seventh at the fourth spot.
 
Both Kayla Meraz and Maily Huynh won their first sets 7-5 and 6-4 respectively but ended up dropping their second sets to go to a third. Meanwhile, Fowler had just pieced together a second set win to force the extra match. The junior held the slight edge in the third set but could not hold on as LBSU clinched the match in the third set tie breaker, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7-2). Both Meraz and M. Huynh's matches went unfinished.
 
FROM HEAD COACH ELIZABETH FERRIS SMITH
"Credit to Long Beach, they played free in doubles. We started singles with more of a purpose and fight and played a heck of a match. Yen started a little slow but got it into gear and never looked back. She's so fierce out there- she has total belief. Kayla did a good job keeping the first set even and then stepped up big at 6-5 up to break serve and take the set. She had a few tough deuce point losses to lose the screen set, but then got up 3-1 in the third playing with great footwork and racket head speed. We would've loved to have seen that match finish out. Haily really turned her match around from last time. A lot of credit to her opponent for closing it out. Maily was a warrior out there. We would've loved to see that match finish out too. Lyna started out slow but built up her belief and momentum. She started to build her points beautifully and then transition to the net. I think the men's team cheering really helped create an exciting, pumped-up environment where Lyna thrives. Her match came down to the wire and her opponents came up with big shots to close it out.
 
SINGLES RESULTS
Diana De Simone (LBSU) vs. Kayla Meraz (UCI) 5-7, 6-3, 1-3 uf
Cecilia Costa (LBSU) def. Carolyna Fowler (UCI) 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7-2)
Thea Jagare (LBSU) def. Amanda Perez (UCI) 6-3, 6-0
Yen Nhi Huynh (UCI) def. Daria Malaescu (LBSU) 2-6, 6-4, 6-2
Pamela Badillo (LBSU) def. Haily Huynh (UCI) 6-3, 1-6, 6-1
Daisy Carpenter (LBSU) vs. Maily Huynh (UCI) 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 uf
 
DOUBLES RESULTS
Cecilia Costa/Paulina Franco (LBSU) def. Kayla Meraz/Haily Huynh (UCI) 6-2
Carolyna Fowler/Yen Nhi Huynh (UCI) def. Johanna Hiesmair/Thea Jagare (LBSU) 5-3 uf.
Diana De Simone/Daria Malaescu (LBSU) def. Amanda Perez/Maily Huynh (UCI) 6-2