April 5, 2008

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - The Cal State Northridge women's tennis team (10-7, 6-2) wrapped up the Big West portion of its season with a 5-2 victory over UC Riverside Saturday at the Matador Tennis Complex. The Matadors took the doubles point and then picked up four singles victories, including a win by senior Canna Furuta.

A 2007 All-Big West First Team selection, Furuta defeated Nadia Sakhakorn in straight sets, 6-0, 6-0, in their No. 3 match. Furuta improved 7-9 overall and 3-3 in Big West action for the season.

Junior Sandra Kukla, sophomore Kristy Fournell and freshman Brooke Doane also picked up singles victories for the Matadors. Kukla won her No. 2 match, 6-4, 6-3, over H.R. Espiritu to improve to 11-4 on the season. Fournell won in the fifth position, 6-4 and 6-0, over Angelique Corpuz, while Doane defeated McCullough, 6-3 and 7-6 (2), in the No. 4 match. The pair now stands at 5-5 and 10-4 on the season, respectively.

In other singles action, junior Victoria Brymer lost to Erynne Oki in three sets, 6-1, 2-6 and 6-3, in the No. 1 match. Freshman Whitney Paluch also lost in three sets, 2-6, 6-4 and 6-2, to Roxanne Plata in the No. 6 match. Brymer is 3-13 in singles play while Paluch stands at 0-2.

In doubles action, Furuta and Brymer dropped the No. 1 match, 8-3, to Oki and Espiritu. However, senior Kanykey Koichumanova returned to action for Northridge, and she and Doane teamed up to defeat defeat McCullough and Sakhakorn, 8-1, in the No. 2 match. The tandem improved to 15-1 on the season while Furuta and Brymer fell to 7-8.

Finally, Kukla and Fournell secured the point for Northridge with a 8-1 victory over Corpuz and Plata/in the third doubles position. The victory was their first as a doubles team.

Northridge returns to action on April 12 when they host the Aggies of New Mexico State. First serve is slated for 11 a.m. as the Matadors have just three matches remaining before the Big West Championships on April 25.