Cal Poly women’s tennis team lost back-to-back Big West Conference matchups this week after just recently getting back in the win column.
The Mustangs first fell 7-0 to Hawai’i at Mustang Tennis Courts Wednesday afternoon followed by a 6-1 loss to Long Beach State Friday afternoon.
Cal Poly vs. Hawai’i
Hawai’i got off to a 1-0 lead early after winning the doubles point.
After senior Abigail Bacharach and freshman MacKenzie Worsnop fell to their opponents on court one, junior Caroline Williams and freshman Grace Olyphant also lost, winning only two games and ending doubles play.
In singles, the Rainbow Wahine took all six matches, capping off a 7-0 sweep against the Mustangs.
Sophomore Susanne Boyden took Hawai’i’s Nikola Dolakova to three sets after dropping the first, but ultimately lost. Williams also took her opponent to a third set when she won the second 7-6, but lost in the third.
With the loss, Cal Poly fell to 4-10 overall and 0-3 in Big West Conference play while Hawai’i improved to 7-6 and 2-1 in conference play.
Cal Poly vs. Long Beach State
The Mustangs put up a fight in doubles play when senior Molly Reed and Boyden won their match 7-5 to push them to 2-0 as a pair this season. However, after Bacharach and Worsnop lost their match 7-6, it came down to Olyphant and Williams.
Olyphant and Williams forced the match to a tiebreaker, but ultimately fell 7-6, giving the 49ers a 1-0 lead.
In singles, it was more of the same story. Sophomore Claire Bouquet fell to her opponent after the match went to a third set where she lost 11-9. Worsnop also lost in a competitive match 7-6, 6-4 at the first singles position.
Reed was the only Mustang to score for the afternoon when she won 7-5, 5-7, 10-7 in close match against the 49er’s Maren Helgo. The win for Reed also brings her record to a team-leading 6-3 in singles play.
With the season winding down, Cal Poly will need to finish strong to improve their 4-11 overall record and 0-4 Big West Conference record. The Mustangs remain at the bottom of the Big West Conference standings in eighth place, only a half game ahead of UC Riverside.
The Mustangs will resume Big West Conference play April 8 when they host UC Riverside at 1:30 p.m.