Down 6-0 after one set, Anais Dallara rallied not once but twice to get a win at No. 1 singles and seal an important Big West victory over UC Irvine.
Long Beach State started singles in a hole after dropping the doubles point two matches to one, with Jaklin Alawi and Rachel Manasse losing a tough 9-8 match at No. 1 doubles to Hammel/Bryon at the top to give the point to UC Irvine.
The 49ers also had a slow start in singles, losing the first set in four of six matches, with Manasse having the shortest day in a 6-3, 7-5 win over Brooke Bartlett. Alawi took the first set over April Bisharat 6-2, and after dropping the second, closed out Long Beach State’s second point with a 6-0 third set.
Deborah Armstrong rallied from a 4-6 first set loss to take 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 win over Courtney Byron, while Kristina Smith of the Anteaters defeated Julie Luzar 6-2, 6-0 to set up a situation where the 49ers needed to win one of the final two matches.
At No. 1 singles, Dallara fell in the opening set to Stephanie Hammel 6-0, but recovered to take a 6-4 victory in the second set. Then leading 5-2 and with match point, a wide shot allowed Hammel back into the match, and the Anteaters’ top player eventually took a 6-5 lead.
Dallara fought back, forcing a tiebreaker however, where she won 7-3 to seal the 49ers win. Anna Jeczmionka fell to Becka Kwan in the final match of the day, falling 6-1, 5-7, 7-6 (3) to account for the final score.
Long Beach State returns to the court next Saturday, when the 49ers host Pacific. In a ceremony prior to the game, Long Beach State will recognize four-time Big West Player of the Year Hannah Grady by naming court No. 1 in her honor.
Doubles
Hammel/Bryon UCI def. #55 Alawi/Manasse, LBSU 9-8 (5)
Armstrong/Dallara, LBSU def. Holliday/Kwan, UCI 8-4
Bartlett/Smith, UCI def. Cantlay/Luzar, LBSU 8-3
Singles
Anais Dallara, LBSU def. Stephanie Hammel, UCI 0-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3)
Jaklin Alawi, LBSU def. April Bisharat, UCI 6-2, 3-6, 6-0
Deborah Armstrong, LBSU def. Courtney Byron, UCI 4-6, 6-2, 6-4
Rachel Manasse, LBSU def. Brooke Bartlett, UCI 6-3, 7-5
Becka Kwan, UCI def. Anna Jeczmionka, LBSU 6-1, 5-7, 7-6 (3)
Kristina Smith, UCI def. Julie Luzar, LBSU 6-2, 6-0
Reports From LBSU