UCR women’s tennis hosted Gonzaga and Pacific in what were the third and fourth fixtures of the season for the Highlanders. UCR couldn’t extend its winning streak as it fell 6-1 to Gonzaga on Friday. While on Sunday, the Highlanders lost the first Big West conference match of the season as they fell 6-1 to Pacific.
Bulldogs 6 – Highlanders 1
UCR lost the first point of the afternoon when it was unable to win two of the three doubles matches. The Highlanders started off well by winning the first match. Kat Saltarelli and Natalie McKay defeated Gonzaga’s Kylie Peek and Madeline Parker by 8-5, but Gonzaga proved resilient when it claimed the next two doubles matches over the Highlanders by 8-4 and 8-5 and won the first point of the afternoon.
In singles action, Gonzaga dominated the Highlanders by winning five of the six points in play. However, UCR put on a contest as three of the six points had to be decided in three-set matches. Gonzaga, at the end, played the best tennis and won all of the three-set matches. The Highlanders got the lone point thanks to a victory by Jamie Raney over Katie Edwards. The game proved to be a hard contest for Raney; she won in consecutive sets but the game was close.
Tigers 6 – Highlanders 1
UCR opened its Big West conference participation with a loss against Pacific. The Highlanders and Tigers fought closely for the seven points in play, but it was Pacific who took the upper-hand by winning six of the seven points in play. In doubles action, UCR fell short in two of the three games as the Highlanders were only able to win their game at court No. 2 when Courtney Pattugalan and Kate Bergeson put on a decent display to beat Pacific’s Susan Te and Gergana Boncheva by 8-6. Yet, Pacific took the doubles point by winning the other two matches.
In singles matches, UCR couldn’t take but one point and was swept by the Tigers. Taylor Raney was the only Highlander able to defeat her rival. Raney, one more time, proved her great form as she beat Pacific’s Gergana Boncheva by 6-2, 6-2. Additionally, UCR’s Jamie Raney and Kat Saltarelli were defeated by Pacific’s Iveta Masarova and Julia Hansen by 6-2, 6-3 and 6-1, 6-1, respectively.
