Sitting atop the Big West standings with the regular season title already in hand, the Long Beach State women’s tennis team is gearing up for the Big West Conference tournament at the end of the month.
The challenge for the team, however, is staying focused on the four regular season matches remaining and not looking ahead to the tournament.
“I think this team has goals beyond winning conference,” 49ers head coach Jenny Hilt-Costello said. “One goal is to be nationally ranked in the top 25.”
Hilt-Costello said the team still has a lot to play for because the 49ers need to win the conference tournament to seal an NCAA automatic berth. The Beach (15-3, 7-0 Big West), after rising to No. 33 in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association national rankings, would probably be in line for an NCAA at-large bid if the season ended today.
The three-day Big West tournament starts on April 30 in Indian Wells, Calif., where the team has had a recent history of success.
“We look at Indian Wells as our home, we are comfortable there,” Hilt-Costello said. “We have won six conference tournaments in a row since it was moved to Indian Wells. The girls want to keep the tradition going.”
The Beach could have some competition heading into the tourney.
UC Santa Barbara (9-10, 4-2 Big West) is currently tied for third place in the conference and the team’s sub-.500 overall record doesn’t mean it should be taken lightly. Hilt-Costello described the Gauchos’ team as a tough and tenacious squad that can’t be overlooked.
Cal Poly (12-4, 5-2 Big West) is loaded with talent at the top half of the singles draw with No. 85 Susie Matzenauer and No. 86 Brittany Blalock filling out the No. 1 and No. 2 singles slots. The two form a highly-competitive doubles team, currently ranked No. 26 in the nation.
UC Irvine (7-9, 4-2 Big West) might be the sleeper team of the tournament as the Anteaters have battled injuries all year and are starting to get healthy at the right time.
“If they are healthy and sharp, they are the most dangerous team going into the tournament,” Hilt-Costello said.
NCAA makes ruling on freshman’s eligibility
The team recently received news on the eligibility of freshman Klaudia Malenovska, who was initially ruled ineligible by the NCAA for accepting money to participate in professional events prior to arriving at LBSU. She has not appeared in a match this season.
The Beach appealed the ruling and the NCAA reduced Malenovska’s penalty. Instead of losing out on all four years, Malenovska will sit out the remainder of this season and the first 11 spring matches of next year.
Adding a player like Malenovska to the roster next season could improve depth in the team’s singles lineup. She has been ranked as high as No. 54 in the International Tennis Federation world junior rankings.
“When you can insert someone at the top, it makes the whole team stronger and deeper moving down the lineup,” Hilt-Costello said. “Just across the board, we are stronger and deeper with her in the mix.”
Jeczmionka out with tendonitis
UCI is not the only Big West team hampered by injuries this season.
LBSU has had player health issues of its own with freshman Anna Jeczmionka sitting out the matches against Cal Poly and UCSB because of tendonitis in her right arm.
Jeczmionka has split time at the No. 5 and 6 singles spots this season, posting a 7-3 record at No. 5 singles and going 2-1 at the No. 6 slot. She also holds a 3-5 record with fellow freshman Sarah Cantlay at No. 3 doubles.
“Hopefully she will be healthy next week and ready for the conference tournament,” Hilt-Costello said.
Other news
Freshman Jaklin Alawi was named the Big West Conference Player of the Week on Wednesday after collecting singles wins at Cal Poly and UCSB over the weekend. It was the second conference award for Alawi this season.
The Beach wraps up conference play at Cal State Northridge on Saturday and host St. Mary’s (Calif.) in a nonconference match on Sunday at 11 a.m.
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