March 28, 2008

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - Junior Sandra Kukla picked up the Matadors' lone point as the Cal State Northridge women's tennis team fell (9-5, 5-1 BWC), 6-1, to Long Beach State Friday afternoon at the Matador Tennis Complex. Kukla moved her record in singles to 10-2 and has now won five straight and seven of her last eight singles matches.

Kukla disposed of Deborah Armstrong, 7-6 (9) and 6-1, in the No. 3 match. The junior, who transferred to Northridge from Texas-San Antonio, has not lost in singles since the Matadors' match against Texas State on Mar. 12.

Northridge entered the match ranked No. 68 in the country while the 49ers were ranked No. 49. In doubles play, Long Beach State swept all three matches with 8-4 victories. In the top doubles match, Hannah Grady and Stephanie Bengson defeated Victoria Brymer and Canna Furuta while in the third doubles match, Deborah Armstrong and Lisa Sutton defeated Kukla and Nina Jaworowski.

In the second doubles match, senior Kanykey Koichumanova and freshman Brooke Doane lost their first match of the season, falling to Stephanie Jeanes and Jessica Weeks. The tandem is now 12-1 on the season while Brymer and Furuta are 6-6 while Kukla and Jaworowski are 8-4.

The top two matches in singles all went to the 49ers. Brymer lost to Grady, 6-4 and 6-2, in the No. 1 spot while Koichumanova fell to Bengson, 6-0 and 7-6 (4). For the season, Brymer is 3-10 in singles play while Koichumanova is 7-7.

In the bottom of half of the singles' bracket, the 49ers picked up all three points. Furuta lost to Jeanes, 6-4, 2-6 and 6-2, in the No. 4 match. In the fifth spot, sophomore Kristy Fournell lost in three sets to Weeks, 6-2, 4-6 and 6-1. Finally, Sutton defeated Jaworowski, 6-3 and 7-6 (4), in the No. 6 position.

The Matadors return to the court on Mar. 30, traveling to face UC Irvine in another important Big West match. First serve from Irvine is slated for 11 a.m.