Box Score SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Despite a strong push from UC Davis (8-12, 3-5 Big West), an early 3-0 deficit proved to be too much to overcome, as Sacramento State (10-10, 4-4 Big Sky) took home the Causeway Cup with a 4-3 victory. The win was the Hornets' first against the Aggies since 2016.

HOW IT HAPPENED
For the first time in seven matches, UC Davis did not win the doubles point, as Sacramento State duos Mayya Gorbunova/Tsveti Yotova and Alexis Johnson/Maddy Ferreros defeated their Aggie opponents. Yana Gurevich and Arianna Stavropoulos won their match to improve their doubles record to 12-2.

The Hornets extended their lead early in singles competition with wins on courts four and five. 

Lauren Ko earned UC Davis their first point of the match on court six, with a 6-4, 6-2 victory. The win is Ko's second consecutive in straight sets.

After dropping the first set 6-3, Olive Maunupau responded with 6-4 wins in the following two sets to secure court three for the Aggies. It is Maunupau's fourth straight win in singles competition.

Kaia Wolfe snapped a five match losing skid with a three set win on court two that evened the match at 3-3.  

The match was settled on court one, where Gurevich and 13-5 Mayya Gorbunova were facing off. Gurevich took the first set 6-1, then dropped the second in a 7-3 tiebreaker. Gorbunova sealed the match for Sacramento State with a 7-5 third set victory. 

UP NEXT
UC Davis faces off against Long Beach State at the Marya Welch Tennis Center on Saturday. First serve is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. The match is Senior Day for the Aggies, with recognition planned for Kristina Evloeva, Ko and Gurevich. 

PLAYOFF IMPLICATIONS
After Long Beach State's 7-0 win over UC Irvine on Thursday, UC Davis is now locked into seventh place in the Big West, so Saturday's match will have no seeding ramifications for the home squad. The Beach (9-9, 5-3 Big West), though, are locked in a four-way tie with Cal Poly, Cal State Fullerton, and Cal State Northridge and can rise to third with a win and a Cal Poly loss to UC Santa Barbara on Saturday. 

Sacramento State vs UC Davis
Apr. 21, 2023
(Sacramento State Tennis Courts)
Sacramento State 4, UC Davis 3

Doubles Competition
1. Yana Gurevich/Arianna Stavropoulos (UCD) def. Best Lee/Weronika Ejsmont (SAC) 6-4
2. Mayya Gorbunova/Tsveti Yotova (SAC) def. Lauren Ko/Olive Maunupau (UCD) 6-4
3. Alexis Johnson/Maddy Ferreros (SAC) def. Michelle Zell/Carly Schwartzberg (UCD) 6-2
Doubles order of finish: 1, 3, 2

Singles Competition
1. Mayya Gorbunova (SAC) def. Yana Gurevich (UCD) 1-6, 7-6 (7-3), 7-5
2. Kaia Wolfe (UCD) def. Maddy Ferreros (SAC) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3
3. Olive Maunupau (UCD) def. Weronika Ejsmont (SAC) 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
4. Tsveti Yotova (SAC) def. Kristina Evloeva (UCD) 6-2, 6-2
5. Best Lee (SAC) def. Carly Schwartzberg (UCD) 7-5, 6-3
6. Lauren Ko (UCD) def. Grace McSkimming 6-4, 6-2
Singles order of finish: 4, 5, 6, 3, 2, 1