4:44pm | The 49ers got out to a quick start today against UC Santa Barbara, sweeping doubles for the second day in a row, but losses through the bottom half of the singles lineup hurt Long Beach State as the Gauchos snapped the 49ers’ Big West winning streak as Long Beach lost 4-3.

The 49ers came out strong in doubles, winning all three matches for the second straight day. Jaklin Alawi and Rachel Manasse swept Damion/Meehan 8-0, while Sarah Cantlay and Julie Luzar beat Cos/Novak to take the point. Deborah Armstrong and Anais Dallara then wrapped up doubles with an 8-7 win over Dockendorf/Lozano.

Long Beach State’s most experienced players played well in singles, as junior Dallara dropped Natalia Lozano at No. 1 singles with a 6-3, 6-3 win, while senior Armstrong battled for a three-set win at No. 3, winning 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.

Cantlay fell at No. 4, however, losing 7-5, 6-2 to Jordan Dockendorf, and Paola Cos capitalized on Jeczmionka’s long match yesterday, winning 6-2, 6-2 at No. 5 singles. The Beach had first-set wins at both No. 2 and No. 6 singles, but Alawi lost two close sets to Jill Damion, falling 3-6, 7-5, 6-4, while Manasse took her first loss of the dual season, winning the first set 6-3 before dropping the next two 2-6, 3-6.

With the loss, the 49ers’ record 31-match conference winning streak is snapped, but the 49ers are still very much in contention for the league title with a 4-1 record in Big West play.            

Long Beach State plays two more home matches as part of this homestand, bringing No. 44 Boston College and No. 31 Sacramento State to the Rhodes Tennis Center next weekend.