UCI 4, Wyoming 3
Following a tough loss to University of Hawaii, the UC Irvine women’s tennis team got a much needed victory over Wyoming on Saturday, Feb. 11 at Anteater Tennis Stadium. The win gives UCI a 3-3 overall record this season.
UCI seemed headed to a solid start after No. 2 duo sophomore Francizska Goettsching and junior Kristina Smith easily disposed their opponents 8-1. However, the ’Eaters’ dominance in doubles ended right there. Freshman Ali Facey and junior Kristina Smith failed to come back in a 8-6 loss, while senior duo Courtney Byron and Hannah Halladay blew a 6-3 lead, only to lose in a tiebreaker 9-8 (5).
Wyoming took advantage of their 1-0 lead from doubles by coming on hard in singles. Byron was not having a good day as she was easily knocked off 6-1 and 6-3. Wyoming grabbed their third point afterwards as Facey fell by the same score as well. However, UCI managed to come back from a 3-0 deficit as their remaining singles players brushed through their matches in dominant fashion.
Smith crushed her opponent 6-2 and 6-0 while freshman Kat Facey followed with 6-4 and 6-1 victory of her own. Sophomore Marivick Mamiit won her match in dominant form to tie the game for UCI, and Goettsching sealed the victory with a 6-4 and 6-3 performance.
Hawaii 4, UCI 3
After a five-hour marathon match, the UC Irvine women’s tennis team succumbed to the University Of Hawaii Rainbows 4-3 on Thursday, Feb. 9 at Anteater Tennis Stadium. This marks their first loss at home this season.
The doubles did not start well in UCI’s favor. Junior Stephanie Hammel and freshman Ali Facey had a rough match as they were the first to fall with an 8-6 loss. However, UCI managed to comeback after senior duo Courtney Byron and Hannah Holladay battled back and forth with their opponents, to prevail 8-6.
No. 2 pair sophomore Francizska Goettsching and junior Kristina Smith pulled off a momentum-changing comeback when they managed to bounce back from a 7-2 deficit to stand toe-to-toe with their opponents. They were able to take the lead 8-7, but the Rainbows stubbornly held on to tie the game 8-8. Goettsching and Smith held their ground in the tiebreaker and earned UCI the doubles point after finishing their match 10-8.
Sadly, that momentum failed to carry UCI through the singles matches. Goettsching’s fatigue from the doubles match may have gotten the best of her as she lost her match first 6-2 and 7-5. Byron failed to nab a victory as well as she got dominated by the scores of 6-2 and 6-3.
UCI finally earned their first point in singles after Facey won her match in three sets to tie the game, but the celebration was short-lived after Smith lost her match. The Rainbows took away the game after Martina Kostalova beat UCI’s sophomore Marivick Mamiit in three sets.
