Oregon women’s tennis team hoped to halt a two-match skid this weekend on the road against Pacific-10 Conference foes Washington State and Washington. Instead the Ducks lost both of their doubles matches, extending their longest losing streak of the season to four matches.
The No. 46 Ducks (5-6) traveled to Pullman in a battle between teams trying to get their first Pac-10 victories of the season. Washington State came out strong in doubles play and the Ducks never recovered, losing the match 4-3.
Three Ducks won their singles matches, led by Ana Cecilia Olivos’ 7-6, 6-0 victory. Also picking up wins were Carmen Seremeta and Stephanie MacFarlane.
On Sunday, the Ducks hoped to right the ship against a Washington team that was swept last week by California and Stanford. Once again, poor doubles play carried over into Oregon’s singles matches, and the Ducks lost 6-12.
The lone point of the match came from Seremeta, who also won her doubles match with partner Claudia Hirt.
“We certainly had our chances this weekend,” Oregon coach Paul Reber said in a media release. “We just didn’t capitalize on the opportunities when they were there.”
Next up for the Ducks is a home doubleheader against Nevada and Portland on March 7, followed by a matchup against Sacramento State on Sunday.
On the men’s side, the Ducks returned home for the first time since Feb. 3 and hosted two ranked opponents and lost both matches 4-3.
Despite being swept in doubles play by No. 27 Washington, the Ducks battled back, winning three of their singles matches. The Ducks’ number four through six players picked up victories, including No. 5 Geoff Embry’s 6-2, 6-4 victory. Unfortunately, Oregon failed to pick up the match-defining fourth point, and lost the match 4-3.
On Sunday the team looked to bounce back against No. 59 Denver, but getting swept in the doubles point again came back to bite the Ducks.
Trailing by a point heading into singles play, the Ducks looked to win four of the six singles matches in order to pull out the victory, a spot they found themselves in just two days earlier.
Unfortunately, the match ended similarly.
Francisco Gallardo, Alex Cornelissen and Embry, in the two, three and five spots, respectively, won their matches, but the Ducks failed to get a victory in the remainder of its singles matches, and again lost by a score of 4-3.
Friday the Ducks will take on Pacific University, before entering a double-header on Saturday against Nevada and Portland State.