Monday, 03/11/2013

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The 56th-ranked UC Santa Barbara women's tennis team split a pair of matches on Friday afternoon…sort of.

On Thursday afternoon, the Gauchos battled Furman University to a 3-3 tie through the six singles matches and then the rains came and the doubles were pushed to Friday at noon.

The Paladins win the doubles point, claiming the No. 1 and No. 3 matches, to post a 4-3 win over UCSB.

In the match against Furman, the Gauchos were led by Kiersten Meehan who swept past Katherine Oudin at No. 2 singles.  In addition, Meehan and her doubles partner, April Scatliffe, were up 6-3 when their No. 2 doubles contest was called after the other two were decided.

At. No. 3 singles, Paola Cos swept Alex Moreno-Kaste in a tough one, 7-6 (9), 7-5, while Erica Cano claimed a 6-3, 6-3 sweep over Kelly Sullivan at No. 6.

In today's regularly scheduled match, UCSB bounced back with a 5-2 win over Eastern Michigan.

The Gauchos claimed the doubles point with wins at No. 1 (Cano and Priscilla Garcia def. Nino Mebuke and Klara Supejova, 8-4) and No. 3 (Cos and Stacy Yam def. Ankita Bhatia and Zsofia Biro, 8-2).

Santa Barbara also recorded four singles victories.  At No. 1, Scatliffe knocked-off Mebuke, 6-4, 6-1.  Meehan had a tougher time at No. 2, but she was able to rebound form a first set loss to defeat Supejova, 2-6, 6-0, 6-3.  Cos swept Daphne Friedrichs at No. 3, 6-3, 6-4, and Yam topped Mariya Toncheva at No. 5, 6-2, 6-2.

"I liked our level of play against Eastern Michigan," said UCSB head coach Simon Thibodeau.  "That was a nice win after along day.  I am looking forward to our Big West match against Cal State Fullerton on Sunday."

The Gauchos, 9-4, will host the Titans at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. 

Tennis Match Results

Eastern Michigan vs UC Santa Barbara

3/8/2013 at Santa Barbara, Calif.

(Robertson Gym Courts)

#56 UC Santa Barbara 5, Eastern Michigan 2

Singles competition

1. April Scatliffe (UCSB) def. Nino Mebuke (EMU) 6-4, 6-1

2. Kiersten Meehan (UCSB) def. Klara Supejova (EMU) 2-6, 6-0, 6-3

3. Paola Cos (UCSB) def. Daphne Friedrichs (EMU) 6-3, 6-4

4. Ankita Bhatia (EMU) def. Priscilia Garcia (UCSB) 6-4, 7-5

5. Stacy Yam (UCSB) def. Mariya Toncheva (EMU) 6-2, 6-2

6. Zsofia Biro (EMU) def. Erica Cano (UCSB) 2-6, 7-6, 10-8

Doubles competition

1. Erica Cano/Priscilia Garcia (UCSB) def. Nino Mebuke/Klara Supejova (EMU) 8-4

2. Daphne Friedrichs/Mariya Toncheva (EMU) def. April Scatliffe/Kiersten Meehan (UCSB) 8-5

3. Paola Cos/Stacy Yam (UCSB) def. Ankita Bhatia/Zsofia Biro (EMU) 8-2