Fresno State
Long Beach State
Bulldogs Take Down Long Beach State, 5-2
3/31/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
March 31, 2006
FRESNO, Calif. - The rain did not fall Friday afternoon at the Wathen Tennis Center, but the Bulldogs poured on Long Beach State in a convincing 5-2 victory. The match began with singles due to the possibility of rain and Fresno State took advantage quickly. Up 3-1 in the team score, senior Lucia Sainz battled from one set down to win 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 and clinch the victory for Fresno State. The Bulldogs improved to 9-6, snapping Long Beach State's 14- match winning streak and dropping the 49ers to 14-3.
"We played well today, beating a good top-20 team," said head coach Simon Thibodeau. "I thought we had a chance to win on every court, but we still need to be tougher and be more opportunistic."
Freshman Melanie Gloria blew past Long Beach State's Hannah Grady in straight sets, 6-1, 6-1, putting the Bulldogs in front early. Then senior Katharina Winterhalter put away Katy Williams 6-1, 6-3, and freshman Magdalena Tokarska beat Jessica Weeks 6-1, 6-3. Both Winterhalter and Sainz have won four consecutive matches in singles.
The match continued into doubles play, despite Fresno State having already clinched the victory. Fifth-ranked Sainz and Winterhalter got ahead 4-0 and never relinquished the lead, beating No. 24 Grady and Weeks 8-5. Gloria and sophomore Jacqueline Haskett clinched the doubles point with their 8-3 win over No. 50 Porsz and Bengson. Gloria and Haskett are now 9-1 as a tandem in dual matches.
The Bulldogs again knocked off a top-20 opponent, Long Beach State being the latest victim. On March 8, William and Mary invaded the Wathen Tennis Center as the 20th-ranked team in the country, but the Bulldogs sent the Tribe packing with a 4-3 Fresno State win.
Fresno State is back in action on Sunday, April 2, at 10:30 a.m. when it hosts No. 49 San Diego at the Wathen Tennis Center.
NCAA Women's Tennis
Fresno, Calif.
Wathen Tennis Center
No. 29 Fresno State def. No. 20 Long Beach State, 5-2
Singles
1) No. 19 Melanie Gloria (FS) def. No. 67 Hanna Grady (LBS), 6-1, 6-1
2) Katharina Winterhalter (FS) def. No. 120 Katy Williams (LBS), 6-1, 6-3
3) Lucia Sainz (FS) def. Stephanie Bengson (LBS), 5-7, 6-4, 6-2
4) Sandra Rocha (LBS) def. Jacqueline Haskett (FS), 6-4, 6-4
5) Magdalena Tokarska (FS) def. Jessica Weeks (LBS), 6-1, 6-3
6) Rachael Porsz (LBS) def. Bruna Paes (FS), 6-4, 7-6 (4)
Order of completion: 1, 2, 5, 4, 3, 6
Doubles (Fresno State wins doubles point)
1) No. 5 Sainz/Winterhalter (FS) def. No. 24 Grady/Weeks (LBS), 8-5
2) Rocha/Williams (LBS) def. Paes/Tokarska (FS), 8-5
3) Gloria/Haskett (FS) def. No. 50 Bengson/Porsz (LBS), 8-3
Order of completion: 2, 1, 3
Records: Fresno State (9-6); Long Beach State (14-3)
