9:01pm | Long Beach State’s women’s tennis team took care of business in quick fashion Thursday, advancing through the quarterfinals with a 4-0 defeat of Cal State Fullerton at the Big West Championships.
Sarah Cantlay only lost one game in earning two wins throughout the the day for the 49ers.The top-seeded 49ers (18-5) made quick work of Cal State Fullerton (7-17), seeded eighth, as the 49ers did not lose a match in the five needed to secure the victory. Postseason play continues only until the match is clinched, and so after the 49ers took the doubles point against the Titans, only the first three singles wins completed counted towards the final score in the match.
In doubles, Cantlay and Julie Luzar swept Akhmedova/ Malorie De La Cruz 8-0 for the first win, quickly followed by Anais Dallara and Klaudia Malenovska, who defeated Mai/Rodriguez at No. 1 doubles 8-1 to move ahead 1-0 in the match.
Cantlay was again the first player done in singles, defeating De La Cruz at No. 6 singles 6-1, 6-0. Jaklin Alawi, playing at No. 5 singles, beat Megan Sandford 6-2, 6-4, and Malenovska clinched the victory with a 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 2 singles over Morgan McIntosh. On Saturday, April 30, Long Beach State will play the winner of this afternoon’s match between (4) UC Santa Barbara and (5) Pacific at 3 p.m.