The Lady Ducks (4-3) landed back in the Student Tennis Center this past weekend for two competitive contests. On Saturday, Oregon outlasted the University of Santa Barbara (2-1), claiming a 4-3 victory over the Gauchos. Oregon came up short the following day in a back-and-forth battle against the University of Denver (6-2). The 3-4 loss to the Pioneers snapped the Ducks’ four-game winning streak in Eugene.
An early Ducks’ lead helped Oregon escape the UCSB Gauchos. It all started with Karin Young and Candela Aparisi securing a smooth 6-2 win at the No. 3 spot over Camille Kiss and Carla Pacot. Oregon’s Court 2 duo, Jo-Yee Chan and Uxia Martinez Moral, moved past Tyra Richardson and Lucy Lu, 6-4. The team ended the set with a perfect, unreachable lob over Lu’s head.
“This win gave Jo-Yee and me a lot of confidence, which we’ve needed since we are still getting used to playing together,” Martinez Moral said. “We played really well even with our opponents challenging us. Both of our energies carried over nicely into singles.”
Defending the doubles point was a key morale builder for the Ducks, allowing the ladies to soar through the first three singles matches in straight sets to take a 4-0 lead and secure the Oregon win.
“I think we came out with a good mindset early on,” head coach Courtney Nagle said. “Numbers. 2 and 3 played some solid tennis.”
Chan eased past UCSB’s Reuter, 6-2, 6-1. The Gaucho graduate student showed that doubles was definitely her stronger suit; she struggled to stay as consistent in singles. Meanwhile, Chan convinced the crowd and her coaches that she could excel at both positions.
Typically, Martinez Moral is the last one standing in singles. She often takes her opponents to three-sets and has long, exhaustive rallies from the baseline. However, that was not the case against UCSB’s Lu. The Spanish Duck finished her singles match shortly after her doubles partner came off the court, winning 6-1, 6-3.
“Today’s match was great for my self-confidence and for getting ready for Sunday’s battle against Denver,” Martinez Moral said. “Going into our next match, I just want to play within my personality and stick to my game plan — like I did today.”
While Martinez Moral was already mentally preparing for the following day of competition, the rest of her teammates were still on the court fighting off the fearless Gauchos.
On Court 5, Young defeated Richardson 6-3, 6-2, and clinched the match for the Ducks. Even though the match had already been decided, UCSB won the remaining three singles matches.
Oregon’s No. 1 Sophie Luescher tried to rediscover her patterns and play strategically, but the No. 64-ranked Honer ran away with the second set and effectively shut down the Swiss junior, 5-7, 1-6. On Court 3, Aparisi lost to Carla Pacot, 4-6, 4-6, before UCSB’s Camille Kiss overcame Nina Geissler in three sets.
The STC reopened its doors on Sunday, with the morning sunlight peeking through the glass.
With less than 24 hours to recover, the Ducks were back in doubles action. However, this time with different pairings.
Geissler was out of the lineup due to injury. So, Oregon switched up some players and positions to play the Pioneers.
Despite Oregon’s strategic effort to solve its lineup situation, Denver won the doubles point. Confidence turned into silence on Court 1 when Chan and Martinez Moral were quickly beaten by Denver’s Britt Pursell and Andrea Beltran. After splitting a few early breaks, the Pioneer’s No. 2 team defeated Young and Aparisi, 6-3. Luescher and Tilde Jagare were down 4-5 to Claudia Martinez and Alice Otis on Court 3 before the match went unfinished.
Sunday was just the second time in seven matches this season that the Ducks failed to grab the doubles point.
Oregon leveled the dual at 1-1, with Aparisi ousting Karsyn Evans, 6-2, 6-2 at the No. 5 position. However, the Denver Pioneers quickly retook the lead and came within one point of victory at 3-1.
Chan failed to seal a singles victory and lost to Pursell, 2-6, 3-6. This was the Atlanta native’s first time playing Oregon’s No. 2 singles spot after winning her last three matches at third singles. Luescher also lost in a second-set tiebreak to Beltran, who was recently named the Summit League Performer of the Week.
“I think for Sophie, trusting her game and not thinking she has to overplay is crucial,” Nagle said. “I think she will bounce back stronger from this weekend.”
The Ducks once again pulled things even at 3-3. Oregon kept the dual close by taking the Nos. 3 and 4 singles, with Martinez Moral and Young winning at both positions.
The only match to go three sets was the final one to conclude: No. 6 singles. Jagare, who made her spring season debut, lost the first set but took the second before dropping the third. The freshman forced her opponent to play, but nerves and lack of shot variety ultimately cost her chances at a clinching comeback.
Oregon has flights booked to Boise, Idaho, this upcoming weekend for two road matches: the first against Minnesota on Saturday at 11 a.m. and then Boise State on Sunday at 10 a.m.
