As this team continues to settle into the 2023 season, it only looks better and better.

Oregon women’s tennis (5-2) defeated Saint Mary’s (1-2) 5-2 on Sunday at the Student Tennis Center in Eugene, Oregon, to cap off an impressive weekend that saw the Ducks earn a pair of wins.

“On every court they really made us execute,” Oregon head coach Courtney Nagle said. “I’m really proud of how the girls competed. It’s always good to come away with two wins.”

The victory was reminiscent of last year’s 4-1 win over the same Saint Mary’s team. In that match, the Ducks were victorious in doubles play and significantly outmatched the Gaels in singles play. On Sunday, a similar story handed Oregon a similar result.

An early rally earned the Ducks the doubles point. The Gaels’ Olivia Rook and Madison Weekly defeated Oregon’s Lillian Mould and Karin Young 6-4 in the No. 3 singles match to put Saint Mary’s up 1-0 in doubles play. But Sophie Luescher and Uxia Martinez Moral quickly responded for the Ducks by finishing off their match with a 6-3 win. The victory brought the duos’ record to 4-2 on the year and evened Sunday’s doubles play at 1-1.

The ice breaking point rested on the result of Ares Teixido Garcia and Jo-Yee Chan’s match with Tian Yu Dong and Stefanie Silva. Oregon’s newfound combination continued to impress. Chan and Teixido Garcia won 6-4 in a hardfought match. After Sunday’s win, the two are now 5-0 in their first season playing together. 

“We have been pretty solid at both No. 1 and No. 2 [doubles slots] this season,” Nagle said. “We’re really liking what we’re seeing out of them and I feel like even if we don’t get a great start on one of those courts, we always find a way to get ourselves back into good positions.”

The first three singles matches to finish all ended within three minutes of each other, and all of them were Duck victories. Teixido Garcia dominated Mari Hovada with 6-1 and 6-2 set wins. She’s now 5-2 on the season. She’s bounced between the No. 2 and No. 3 spots, but she’s looked like a top competitor in both

“I’m playing very confidently,” Teixido Garcia said. “I’m very comfortable on courts. I love both [No. 2 and No. 3] courts.”

Martinez Moral rolled past Yu Dong in the No. 5 spot. A pair of 6-2 set wins gave her her fifth singles win of the season. Chan also picked up a win over Weekly in the No. 6 spot. She took the first set 6-1 and the second 6-3 to improve to 4-1 in her freshman season.

“[Playing with Chan] is so much fun,” Teixido Garcia said. “I really like to play with her. We didn’t practice much together at first, but we’re still undefeated.”

The rapid back to back to back wins increased the Ducks’ lead from 1-0 to 4-0 and clinched Oregon’s fifth win of 2023. The Gaels lost their second match in two days after losing 2-5 to Iowa on Saturday and the Ducks on Sunday. 

Myah Petchey had the Ducks’ first singles loss of the day. She was swept 1-6 and 2-6 by Rook. All of Petchey’s matches this year have ended in losses or remained unfinished. She’s 0-3 in 2023 and is still looking to find her footing in her junior season. 

“Her tennis is there,” Nagle said, “We’re just trying to get her back to her competitive self.”

Luescher went three sets with Harris, but after winning the first set 6-2, she was unable to close out her match in the No. 1 spot. Harris won the second set 6-4 and the third 10-7 to give the Gaels their second point of the day. Luescher is now 2-1 after suffering her first loss of 2023

But no matter each individual’s result, the team still gathered to watch and root for Young in the last remaining match. Young took down Silva in the No. 4 spot with 7-5 and 6-4 wins. She trailed 1-4 in the first set, but rallied and was dominant though the rest of her match. Young bounced back nicely after losing her singles set in Friday’s 4-1 win over Iowa. She’s now 3-2 this season. 

“That’s the bond of this team,” Nagle said. “They really care about each other through everything.” 

The Ducks now hold a 6-2 all time record against Saint Mary’s. Oregon has quietly put together a three match winning streak that it looks to continue to add to next weekend when Boise State (5-2) and Fresno State (2-5) come to Eugene next Friday and Saturday.