The third-seeded Cal Poly Women’s Tennis team defeated the sixth-seeded CSUN Matadors 4-2 in the quarterfinals of the Big West Tournament on Thursday, April 29.
With the win, the Mustangs will advance to the semifinals of the conference tournament for the first time since 2018.
The Mustangs (13-2) started the match taking the doubles point over the Matadors (7-6). Cal Poly’s No. 3 duo of freshman Dominique Stone and junior MacKenzie Worsnop kicked off by winning their doubles match 6-1 against CSUN’s Jacquie Tan and Jenna Dorian. With the win, Stone and Worsnop improved their doubles record to a team-best 9-0.
However, the Matadors’ No. 2 pairing of Sasha Turchak and Magdelena Hedrzak defeated freshmen Delanie Dunkle and Melissa LaMette to force it to come to the final doubles match. In the final doubles match, the Mustangs’ No. 1 pairing of sophomore Emily Ackerman and sophomore Kim Bhunu clinched the doubles point after a 7-6 (7-4) win over Ekatarina Repina and Ana Toboso Fraile.
In singles, Ackerman gave the Mustangs a 2-0 lead after she won her match in straight sets 6-1, 6-2 at the No. 5 spot. After the Matadors cut the lead to 2-1 as CSUN’s Ekatarina defeated Stone at the No. 1 spot, Bhunu gave Cal Poly a 3-1 lead after winning her match at the No. 2 position. After dropping the first set 4-6, Bhunu won back-to-back sets 6-2, 6-1.
The Matadors cut the lead once again to 3-2 as CSUN’s Toboso Fraile defeated LaMette in three sets 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 at the No. 3 spot.
However, Dunkle clinched the victory for the Mustangs at the No. 4 position. Dunkle dropped the first set 3-6 but came back and won consecutive sets 6-3, 6-4.
Cal Poly will advance to take on Cal State Fullerton in the semifinals of the Big West Tournament on Friday, Apr. 30.