Friday, 04/27/2012

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. – The Cal Poly women’s tennis program grabbed the doubles point and sophomore Gabby Gatewood and freshman Ireen Kuipers produced victories in singles action, but the fourth-seeded Mustangs bowed out of the 2012 Big West Conference Championships on Friday afternoon after suffering a 4-3 quarterfinal defeat against No. 5 UC Santa Barbara at Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

With the match drawn at 3-3 and into the sixth hour of competition, Mustang sophomore Kathryn Webb was forced to retire with body cramps during the third set of her match at the No. 4 singles position. UC Santa Barbara (11-13) advanced to face top-seeded and 43rd-ranked Long Beach State (17-5) during one of Saturday’s 8 a.m. semifinal matchups. Long Beach State, which has captured eight of the previous 10 Big West Championships titles, reached the semifinal round by eliminating eighth-seeded Cal State Fullerton earlier Friday, 4-0.

Second-seeded UC Davis (13-11) will face No. 3 UC Irvine (16-7) in Saturday’s remaining semifinal. The championship match is scheduled for Sunday, April 29 at 9 a.m.

“We fought hard in extremely hot conditions and I’m proud of our effort,” first year Mustang head coach Damon Coupe said. “(Kathryn) played all the way until her body wouldn’t go anymore. Both teams were on their last legs. But, I’m happy with the way we performed and we finished fighting hard like we have all season.”

Cal Poly (10-11) opened Friday’s quarterfinal bout by earning the doubles point for the first time in three matches. Senior Jocelyn Davis and junior Alexa Lee combined to slide past UC Santa Barbara’s Jordan Dockendorf and Natalia Lozano, 8-6. After Cal Poly sophomore Ane McPike and Webb teamed at No. 2 to drop a 9-7 decision against Sofia Novak and Erica Cano, the Mustang duo of sophomore Jen Cornea and Gatewood salvaged the doubles point at No. 3 by besting Casey Reede and April Scatliffe, 8-5.

UC Santa Barbara, however, returned to post victories in the top four singles positions. Lee fell at No. 1 against Novak, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, before Davis was toppled at No. 2 by Lozano, 6-4, 6-2. After prevailing during the first set, Cornea dropped a 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 decision at No. 3 against Scatliffe. At No. 4, Webb rallied from a 6-3 loss during her first set against Paola Cos to square the matchup with a 7-5 triumph. Trailing 5-3 during the third set, however, Webb was forced to retire. Gatewood secured her team-leading 13th singles victory of the spring by producing a 7-6, 6-4 win at No. 5 against Dockendorf while Kuipers prevailed at No. 6 versus Erica Cano, 6-3, 6-4.

UC Santa Barbara 4, Cal Poly 3
Big West Conference Championships Quarterfinal
Indian Wells Tennis Garden (Indian Wells, Calif.)
April 27, 2012

Doubles
1. Alexa Lee/Jocelyn Davis (CP) def. Natalia Lozano/Jordan Dockendorf (UCSB), 8-6
2. Sofia Novak/Erica Cano (UCSB) def. Kathryn Webb/Ane McPike (CP), 9-7
3. Gabby Gatewood/Jen Cornea (CP) def. Casey Reede /April Scatliffe (UCSB), 8-5

Singles
1. Sofia Novak (UCSB) def. Alexa Lee (CP), 6-4, 3-6, 6-1
2. Natalia Lozano (UCSB) def. Jocelyn Davis (CP), 6-4, 6-2
3. April Scatliffe (UCSB) def. Jen Cornea (CP), 5-7, 6-4, 6-4
4. Paola Cos (UCSB) def. Kathryn Webb (CP), 6-3, 5-7, 5-3 (ret.)
5. Gabby Gatewood (CP) def. Jordan Dockendorf (UCSB), 7-6, 6-4
6. Ireen Kuipers (CP) def. Erica Cano (UCSB), 6-3, 6-4

2012 Big West Conference Championships
Indian Wells Tennis Garden (Indian Wells, Calif.)
Thursday, April 26 (Play-in)
No. 8 Cal State Fullerton 4, No. 9 UC Riverside, 3

Friday, April 27 (Quarterfinal)
No. 1 Long Beach State 4, No. 8 Cal State Fullerton 0
No. 2 UC Davis 4, No. 7 Pacific 0
No. 3 UC Irvine 4, No. 6 Cal State Northridge, 1
No. 5 UC Santa Barbara 4, No. 4 Cal Poly 3

Saturday, April 28 (Semifinal)
No. 1 Long Beach State vs. No. 4 Cal Poly, 8 a.m.
No. 2 UC Davis vs. No. 3 UC Irvine, 8 a.m.

Sunday, April 29 (Championship)
Semifinal winners, 9 a.m.