Box Score (PDF)
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. – The record setting season for the Cal State Fullerton women's tennis team was ended on Thursday as the third-seeded Titans were upset in a 4-3 loss to sixth-seeded CSUN in the Big West Conference Championship quarterfinals at Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
The Titans (17-6) have produced the best season in women's tennis history at Cal State Fullerton, but in a 3-hour plus contest could not overcome dropping the doubles point against the Matadors (10-12).
Fullerton holds an overall record of 17-38 at the Big West Championship dating back to 1989, and in quarterfinal action, the Titans hold a record of 0-16, never advancing to the semifinals.
This season, Fullerton has lost the doubles point just six times, but the Titans have been unable to overcome that 1-0 deficit with a record of 0-6 in those matches.
CSUN's Kiryang Kim and Mari Taslagyan put the Matadors in good position defeating Fullerton's Sarah Nuno and Danielle Pham, 6-1, to open doubles play at No. 3 in the order. But Fullerton's team of Camille De Leon and Alexis Valenzuela, ranked 52nd in the country, evened things up with a 6-2 victory over Mickey Hsu and Kristen Poei at No. 1 doubles.
A marathon doubles match to determine the point was won by CSUN's Skyla Alcon and Vivian Lin as they edged Fullerton's Masako Makiba and Karla Portalatin, 7-6 (9), at No. 2 doubles.
De Leon evened the match for Fullerton at 1-1 as she defeated Poei, 6-0, 6-4, at No. 4 in the singles order, but CSUN responded to regain a 2-1 advantage as Alcon pushed past Portalatin at No. 3 in the order.
Fullerton took a 3-2 lead on two straight singles finishes as Valenzuela toppled Hsu, 6-3, 6-3, at the top of the order, while Nuno was victorious over Lin, 6-4, 6-2, at No. 2 singles.
With Fullerton leading 3-2, Taslagyan responded by coming from behind to defeat Pham 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 at the bottom of the order to even the score at 3-3.
The deciding match went to the Matadors as Kim edged Makiba 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 at No. 5 in the lineup.
The Titans set program bests for wins (17), Big West Conference victories (6), Big West finish (3rd) and winning percentage (.739) in 2016.
Notes: The Titans are 0-2 against CSUN at the Big West Championship…Fullerton is 0-5 all-time against the No. 6 seed at the Big West Championship…Alexis Valenzuela's 17 wins at the No. 1 position are the most for the program since prior to 2001 (first date of individual stats on record)…the No. 1 doubles team of Camille De Leon and Alexis Valenzuela totaled 14 doubles wins, the most for a Titan No. 1 doubles team since prior to 2001 (first date of individual stats on record).
Tennis Match Results
CSUN vs Cal State Fullerton
Apr 28, 2016 at Indian Wells, Calif.
(Indian Wells Tennis Garden)
CSUN 4, Cal State Fullerton 3
Singles competition
1. Alexis Valenzuela (CSF) def. Mickey Hsu (CSUN) 6-3, 6-3
2. Sarah Nuno (CSF) def. Vivian Lin (CSUN) 6-4, 6-2
3. Skyla Alcon (CSUN) def. Karla Portalatin (CSF) 6-3, 6-3
4. Camille De Leon (CSF) def. Kristen Poei (CSUN) 6-0, 6-4
5. Kiryang Kim (CSUN) def. Masako Makiba (CSF) 6-2, 4-6, 6-3
6. Mari Taslagyan (CSUN) def. Danielle Pham (CSF) 3-6, 6-1, 6-4
Doubles competition
1. #52 Camille De Leon/Alexis Valenzuela (CSF) def. Mickey Hsu/Kristen Poei (CSUN) 6-2
2. Skyla Alcon/Vivian Lin (CSUN) def. Masako Makiba/Karla Portalatin (CSF) 7-6 (9)
3. Kiryang Kim/Mari Taslagyan (CSUN) def. Sarah Nuno/Danielle Pham (CSF) 6-1
Match Notes:
Cal State Northridge 10-12
Cal State Fullerton 17-6
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (4,3,1,2,6,5)
Big West Tennis Championship Quarterfinals
No. 3 CSF vs No. 6 CSUN