Going into the weekend with their second-highest ranking in program history, No. 38 Cal Poly Women’s Tennis extended their win streak to six against UC Riverside on Friday before falling to Long Beach State on Saturday.
The Mustangs (9-3, 2-1 Big West) swept the Highlanders (4-10, 0-3 Big West) before falling short against the Beach (8-2, 2-1 Big West) 5-2.
Domination on Friday versus UC Riverside
The Cal Poly women’s tennis team continued its blazing start to the season on Friday, rolling past UC Riverside in a 7-0 shutout.
With the victory, the Mustangs extended their winning streak to six matches and improved to a flawless 26-0 all-time against the Highlanders.
Right from the start, Cal Poly was in full control.
Senior Peyton Dunkle and redshirt sophomore Amy Leather, a duo that has quietly become one of the team’s most reliable doubles pairings, wasted no time in sweeping their No. 2 doubles opponent, moving them to 5-1 on the season.
Meanwhile, on court No. 1, junior Kennedy Buntrock and senior Romane Mosse delivered an equally ruthless performance. Their 6-0 sweep marked their fourth straight win as a tandem and clinched the doubles point for Cal Poly.
Junior Natalie Lynch was first off the court in singles, making a statement with a 6-1, 6-0 victory at line No. 5.
Lynch, who has been consistent for Cal Poly this season, is now 7-2 in singles play, primarily dominating at the No. 5 and 6 spots.
Next, Sasha Ozerets extended her winning streak with a commanding 6-0, 6-2 win at the No. 3 singles spot to improve to 8-2 on the year.
Mosse, who has been a rock for the team throughout the season, stepped up to clinch the match at No. 2 singles with a 6-1, 6-2 win.
Buntrock, playing at No. 1 singles, delivered a strong 6-2, 6-2 win of her own, adding to her growing reputation as the team’s top player.
Freshman Jessica MacCallum continued her breakout season, earning her ninth consecutive singles victory with a 6-0, 6-3 win at No. 4. MacCallum has been a revelation this season, bringing youthful energy and poise to the lineup.
The final match of the day saw Jessica’s older sister, junior Sarah MacCallum, battle through a grueling three-setter at No. 6.
After cruising to a 6-0 first set, Sarah faced a spirited comeback from her opponent but ultimately prevailed in the super tiebreak, 6-0, 5-7, 10-5, to seal the clean sweep for the Mustangs.
With their confidence riding high, Cal Poly will look to keep their momentum going as they aim for even greater heights in Big West play.
Win streak snapped on Saturday to Long Beach
Cal Poly’s six-match winning streak came to an end Saturday, as the Mustangs fell 5-2 to Long Beach State at Rhodes Tennis Center.
Despite standout performances from several players, Cal Poly couldn’t overcome early struggles in doubles and tough losses in key singles matches.
The day started with promise as the reliable pairing of Dunkle and Leather continued their strong doubles season at the No. 2 spot, cruising to a 6-1 victory.
This win pushed the duo to 6-1 on the year, showing their consistency as one of the Mustangs’ most dependable tandems.
However, the No. 1 and No. 3 doubles teams fell, with Jessica and Sarah MacCallum losing 6-2 at No. 3.
That was followed by a narrow 6-4 defeat at doubles line No. 1 for Kennedy Buntrock and Romane Mosse. Despite their recent hot streak in doubles, Buntrock and Mosse couldn’t carry their momentum, falling for just the third time this season.
Jessica MacCallum, who had been on an impressive nine-match winning streak coming into the weekend, couldn’t keep up her hot form at No. 5, dropping her match 6-1, 6-1.
It marked her first loss in nearly a month, a rare setback in what has otherwise been a breakout season.
The Mustangs were down 2-0 and needed a spark.
Buntrock provided that spark at No. 1 with a commanding 6-3, 6-1 victory.
She has been especially reliable in the top spot, anchoring the team with her calm and calculated style with a 6-3 record.
Meanwhile, Mosse followed up at No. 3 with a 6-4, 6-4 win, pushing her record to 8-3. Her consistency under pressure has been a key factor in Cal Poly’s success this season, as she continues to grind out tight matches.
The rest of the singles lineup struggled to find their rhythm. Dunkle, playing at No. 2, faced a challenging opponent and fell 6-4, 6-3, bringing her season record to 6-2.
At No. 6, junior Natalie Lynch fought hard but came up just short in a 7-5, 7-5 battle. Lynch has proven a reliable competitor in tight matches, but this loss dropped her record to 7-3.
The final match of the day saw a back-and-forth contest at No. 4 singles, with Sasha Ozerets clawing her way back to take the second set but ultimately falling 6-3, 2-6, 6-2.
With the win, Long Beach State handed Cal Poly its third loss of the season. The Mustangs will look to regroup and bounce back after the challenging road trip.
Cal Poly will now look ahead to playing three home duals in this upcoming week against LMU on Monday, March 10, Santa Clara on Saturday, March 15 and CSUN on Sunday, March 16, all at noon, and at the Ronca Tennis Center.
