BIG WEST WOMEN'S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
UC Santa Barbara Punches Ticket To Big West Finals
Top-seeded UC Santa Barbara won its 11th straight match and clinched its spot in the finals of the Big West Women's Tennis Championship with a 4-0 victory over fifth-seeded Hawai‘i on Friday at the Orange County Great Park. The Gauchos have not conceded a point in two tournament wins as they seek their ninth title in Saturday's finals against rival Cal Poly.
BOX SCORE
NOTES
• UCSB's 11-match win streak is the program's longest in 25 years.
• UCSB made the finals for the first time since 2017.
• It is UCSB's 12th finals appearance. The Gauchos have won eight titles, second-most in Big West history. They won six straight from 1991-96, and back-to-back in 2016 and 2017.
• UCSB and Cal Poly have never met in the tournament finals.
• Gaucho junior
Shakhnoza Khatamova won her 11th consecutive match with a 6-4, 6-1 triumph over Hawaii's
Satsuki Takamura.
Cal Poly Reaches First Big West Final Since 2007
Third-seeded Cal Poly avenged an earlier loss this season to second-seeded Cal State Fullerton, knocking off the Mustangs, 4-0, in the semifinals of the Big West Women's Tennis Championship at Orange County Great Park on Friday. Cal Poly returned to the championship match for the first time since 2007. Its opponent will be UC Santa Barbara on Saturday at 9:00 a.m.
BOX SCORE
NOTES
• Cal Poly advanced to its third finals after previous appearances in 2003 and 2007.
• The Mustangs seek their second tournament title. They defeated Long Beach State for the trophy in 2003.
• Cal Poly improved to 14-2 this season with its only losses coming to CSF and UCSB.
•
Kim Bhunu and
Emily Ackerman improved to 9-0 as a doubles pair as they defeated
Misaki Kobayashi and
Eira Tobrand, 6-3.
• Ackerman moved to 13-1 on the season in singles. She won her match at No. 5 against YuSeung Suh, 6-2, 6-2.