The Long Beach State women’s tennis team dominated UC Irvine on Friday afternoon at Rhodes Tennis Center and blanked the Anteaters 7-0 on Senior Day.
The Beach did not lose a set in what was arguably its most dominant team win of the year, building steam for the Big West Championships next week.
“It was a really strong team performance,” head coach Jenny Hilt-Costello said. “We really came energized for our seniors.”
The seniors comprised a hefty chunk of The Beach’s production this year and came up big again on Senior Day. Number one player Rhona Cook, number two player Justine Dondonay, number four Sarah Medik and number six Mathilde Tranberg are all seniors.
First, the players eased their way through the doubles matches, sweeping UCI with no trouble to earn the first point of the afternoon.
Cook and junior Peppi Ramstedt blew past Emily Fowler and Kayla Meraz in the first match, 6-1. Cook and Ramstedt have gone an impressive 22-9 together this season.
Turkish sophomore Doga Akyurek and Dondonay, the only native Californian on the roster, tamed Anteater duo Carolyna Fowler and Asha Gidwani 6-2 in the second match.
Completing the sweep was Tranbjerg and sophomore Paulina Franco Martinessi, winning 6-1.
As the afternoon rolled on, the six singles matches commenced.
In the last conference match of her career, Cook was back at it again, handling the sweeping topspin from UCI’s number one player Jenna Schlatter en route to a 6-3, 6-3 victory in two sets.
Dondonay got another crack at Gidwani and bested her again 6-3, 6-1 on court two. The fellow senior had a standout day as her shot variation made her borderline unreturnable.
Ramstedt moved to court three to take on Fowler and prevailed 6-3, 6-1. Fowler was verbally frustrated at some of the line judge’s calls, but the result rendered them null.
After sitting out the doubles matches, Medik got one final conference singles win, beating Amanda Perez 6-1, 6-1 with a finishing shout that delighted the patrons.
Akyurek had no problem dismantling Irvine sophomore Larissa Teramura on court five 6-1, 6-1.
In the final match to finish, Tranberg outlasted Haily Huynh 6-4, 6-4 on court six to conclude an amazing afternoon for The Beach women’s tennis.
The LBSU team this year has players from Turkey, Slovenia, the United Kingdom, Paraguay, Austria, Finland and Denmark.
When asked if she seeks out international talent while recruiting each season Hilt-Costello responded, “I’m just looking for people who fit for Beach tennis.”
With this strategy working at the moment, LBSU now shifts their focus to the conference tournament starting this upcoming Thursday at the Barnes Center in San Diego.
Hilt-Costello believes to make the NCAA regionals, the squad will have to take the Big West championship, meaning they must win out. “We’re looking at UCSB as the team to beat,” Hilt-Costello said.
Slotted as the potential No. 4 seed, The Beach enters the quarterfinals with a clear goal in mind: win three matches.