April 8, 2009

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. -

The Cal State Northridge women's tennis team (10-12, 4-4) defeated UC Riverside, 5-2, Tuesday afternoon to conclude its regular season. The doubles tandem of Evgeniya Vertesheva and Brooke Doane won their top-seeded doubles match to finish a perfect 8-0 against Big West opponents in 2009 and 17-2 overall.

Vertesheva and Doane defeated Erynne Oki and Roxanne Plata, 9-8, to finish the season with an unblemished record against conference opponents. The duo will be the top-seeded doubles team at the Big West Championships and should receive All-Big West honors. For Doane, the win makes her an astounding 35-4 in doubles play since arriving at Northridge before last season.

The Matadors would win the doubles point as Nigora Sirojiddinova and Nina Jaworowski teamed up for an 8+4 victory against Donna McCullough and Angelique Corpuz at the second spot. Finally, Sandra Kukla and Whitney Paluch earned CSUN a sweep in the three doubles matches, defeating Nadia and Yasaman Sakhakorn, 8-5, in the No. 3 doubles match. 

In singles action, the Matadors took four of the six matches against the Highlanders. Jaworowski registered her team-leading 13th singles win of the season with a 6-4, 4-6 and 10-7 win over McCullough at the No. 2 position. Doane won her third-seeded match in three sets as well, besting Nadia Sakhakorn, 6-1, 4-6 and 6-3, at the No. 3 spot.

Sirojiddinova was also victorious, taking a 6-2, 6-3 decision over Plata at the five spot and Kukla picked up her first singles win of the season with a 6-2, 6-0 victory against Yasaman Sakhakorn at No. 6.

The Highlanders' two points came in the top-seeded match and at No. 4. Vertesheva fell 6-3, 6-1 to Oki at the No. 1 position and Paluch lost a 6-1, 6-3 decision to Corpuz at No. 4.

The victory against the Highlanders concluded CSUN's regular season. The Matadors will now head to Indian Well, Calif., to participate in the Big West Championships. With a 4-4 record, the Matadors are the fifth seed in the tournament and will face UC Santa Barbara in the opening round of the event, which is scheduled to begin on April 16.

MATCH RESULTS – 4/7/09

Cal State Northridge 5, UC Riverside 2

Doubles

1- Doane/ Vertesheva (CSN) def. Oki/ Plata (UCR) 9-8

2- Jaworowski/ Sirojiddinova (CSN) def. McCullough/ Corpuz (UCR) 8-4

3- Kukla/ Paluch (CSN) def. Sakhakorn/ Sakhakorn (UCR) 8-5

Singles

1- Erynne Oki (UCR) def. Evgeniya Vertesheva (CSN) 6-3, 6-1

2- Nina Jaworowski (CSN) def. Donna McCullough (UCR) 6-4, 4-6, (10-7)

3- Brooke Doane (CSN) def. Nadia Sakhakorn (UCR) 6-1, 4-6, 6-3

4- Angelique Corpuz (UCR) def. Whitney Paluch (CSN) 6-1, 6-3

5- Nigora Sirojiddinova (CSN) def. Roxanne Plata (UCR) 6-2, 6-3

6- Sandra Kukla (CSN) def. Yasaman Sakhakorn (UCR) 6-2, 6-0