This past weekend, No. 50 Cal Poly Women’s Tennis extended their win streak to five straight matches with wins over No. 49 ranked Sacramento State on Friday, Feb. 28 and in their first Big West match against UC Davis on Saturday, March 1.
The Mustangs (8-2, 1-0 Big West) took a back-and-forth battle over the Hornets (7-2) before dominating in their opening Big West Conference match over UC Davis (5-9, 1-3 Big West).
Battle of Top 50 ranked teams on Friday
It could not be any closer between the Mustangs and Hornets. After three hours and 15 minutes, Cal Poly and Sacramento State were all knotted up 3-3 heading into a third-set tiebreaker on court No. 4 to decide the match.
Junior Sasha Ozerets has been no stranger to late-match heroics this season. A win here at line No. 4 would give Ozerets her third clinch of the season, and give the Mustangs their biggest win of the season.
She came through in dramatic fashion.
Falling down 5-6 in the third-set after losing her serve, Ozerets fought back to break her opponent and even the score at 6-6 forcing that tiebreak.
In the breaker Ozerets took control and ran away with it 7-2, amid a 3 hour 27 minute match, she clinched her match 7-6 (8-6), 2-6, 7-6 (7-2) and the team 4-3 win.
Sacramento State was previously 7-0, riding the best start in its program history.
The Mustangs didn’t get off to their best start in this match, dropping the early doubles point.
But there was a bright spot: junior Kennedy Buntrock and senior Romane Mosse made their doubles dominance felt, winning 6-0 in line No. 1. The pairing is now 4-2 playing together.
To even things out for the Mustangs, we look over to court No. 5 with freshman Jessica MacCallum who cruised by her opponent 6-3, 6-3 to put Cal Poly on the board.
She is now 7-2 on the year in her debut season with the Mustangs while riding a seven-match win streak as well, all of her seven wins have come in dominant straight-set affair.
On court No. 1 there was a comeback brewing after Buntrock took the second set 6-1 after falling 1-6 herself in the first set.
Using her momentum, the Las Vegas native overcame a strong push from her opponent and took the third-set and the match, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4. Buntrock improves to 4-2 on the year.
Senior Peyton Dunkle had an impressive win on court No. 2, 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 giving the Mustangs a 3-1 lead at the time.
Dunkle has been rolling lately. With the win, she extended her win streak to four matches and moved her record to 5-1.
Sacramento State was able to tie up the match with wins on courts No. 3 and No. 6 before Ozerets came through with her victory on court No. 4.
Opening up Big West play against the Aggies
On Saturday, Cal Poly got their first chance to play a Big West foe since winning the Big West Championships last season.
The Mustangs picked up right where they left off, dismantling UC Davis, 6-1 on the afternoon.
Cal Poly got to work early and easily took the opening doubles point.
Jessica MacCallum and Sarah MacCallum played their debut doubles match together at the NCAA level.
UC Davis could not handle “The Double Mac Attack”, their father Todd MacCallum said. The sisters cruised to a 6-0 win on court No. 3.
On court No. 2, Dunkle and Amy Leather won 6-2, clinching the Mustangs’ doubles point.
Ozerets remembered her 3:30 hour-long match against Sacramento State and decided she would finish quicker against UC Davis.
The Mission Viejo, Calif. native was the first singles match winner. Playing at line No. 4, she won 6-2, 6-4. Ozerets is now 7-2 on the season.
Mosse would be the next Mustang to get off the court with a quick victory, on court No. 3 she won 6-2, 6-2 adding to her 6-3 singles record on the season.
Jessica MacCallum is becoming one to watch out for for Big West Freshman of the Year, Sasha Ozerets won it in the 2022-23 season.
MacCallum is up to 8-2 on the year and still riding her eight-match win streak. She won her match on court, No. 5, 7-5, 6-2.
Checking out court No. 6, Natalie Lynch used her incredible power to grab a 6-3, 6-2 victory. The sophomore is 6-2 this season in singles play.
Dunkle extended her own five-match singles win streak, playing fabulous tennis recently.
At line No. 2 she walked off in celebration after a 7-6 (7-2), 6-3 win.
Buntrock was in another tightly contested battle but ultimately fell on court No. 1, 7-6 (10-8), 6-4.
Cal Poly made an early statement to the Big West with the win over UC Davis, they have a target on their back and are ready to defend their title.
The Mustangs will continue their road trip next week with another taste of conference action, taking on UC Riverside (3-7, 0-2 Big West) on Friday, March 7, and Long Beach State (7-2, 1-1 Big West) on Saturday, March 8.
