Desperately needing a win after a four-match losing streak, the Oregon women’s tennis team bounced back in a big way.
The Ducks dominated Long Beach State in their season finale, 8-1.
Losers of nine of their previous 10 matches, they ended the regular season on a high note with two key wins over California-Irvine and Long Beach State.
On Friday, Oregon played its ninth-straight road game in Irvine, Calif., facing the No. 42 Anteaters.
The Ducks jumped out to an early lead with four convincing straight-set wins.
Senior Alina Wygonowska upset No. 50 freshman Maureen Diaz 6-2, 6-2 in the No. 1 singles position.
No. 62 freshman Monika Gieczys followed with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Jonni Seymour at the No. 2 position. Sophomore Valerie Young disposed of UC-Irvine’s Liz Yim.
Janice Nyland, also a sophomore, continued her recent tear, defeating Darian Chappell, 7-6, 6-2.
Sophomore Adeline Arnaud and freshman Jeanette Mattsson clinched the match for the Ducks. After falling in singles play, the duo returned in doubles with a dominating 8-2 win over Natalie Exon and Nickole Kabe.
Nyland and Young put the finishing touches on the win, defeating Diaz and Yim 8-5.
“This was a huge match for us,” head coach Jack Griffin said in a released statement. “For us to win one through three singles matches was great.”
There was never any doubt during the match as Oregon clinched victory early. All six singles players won in straight sets.
Nyland has won six of her last seven matches. Wygonowska pushed her overall record to a team-leading 21-13.
The lone 49er win came in doubles play. Sophie Han and Lara Spica narrowly defeated Wygonowska and freshman Lisa Cummings, 9-7. The Ducks won the remaining doubles matches.
The men, however, saw their recent win streak snapped this weekend. Riding high from last weekend’s upsets over the Arizona schools, the Ducks lost two tough matches to No. 2 UCLA and No. 19 Southern California.
Wins were hard to come by against the Bruins on Friday. Although Oregon won several first sets, only one Duck triumphed in a 6-1 loss.
Senior Guillermo Carter battled the Bruins’ No. 26 Jong-Min Lee over three sets for his fourth upset win of the season.
Senior Joaquin Hamdan, sophomore Thomas Schneiter and freshman Jason Menke all picked up wins in their first sets, but the Ducks were unable to capitalize as UCLA won all of the remaining singles matches.
Schneiter and freshman Oded Teig battled the Bruins’ Jean-Noel Grinda and Jean-Julien Rojer in doubles but fell, 9-7.
“I thought we played some good tennis,” head coach Chris Russell said. “[UCLA] was tough and definitely ready to play against us. They will make you earn it and won’t roll over.”
On Saturday, Oregon had to put the loss behind them to take on USC at the Willow Creek Racquet Club.
Oregon earned another setback though, getting swept by the Trojans, 7-0. The lone Duck victory came in doubles play with Carter and freshman Leslie Eisinga’s 8-4 over Ryan Moore and
Nicholas Rainey.
In singles play, both Carter and Schneiter managed to get into the third set, but they were unable to earn wins against the Trojans.
The losses put Oregon’s overall record at 11-8, 2-5 in the Pac-10.
The Ducks have one more shot for a third Pac-10 victory. Oregon hosts No. 28 Washington next Saturday to finish their conference schedule. The Ducks will have a chance to avenge an earlier 4-3 loss to the Huskies on April 2.