LA JOLLA -- Cal State L.A.'s women's tennis team picked up a huge victory on Saturday, knocking off perennial NCAA Division II power UC San Diego in a tight 5-4 battle.

The Golden Eagles took the top two doubles matches and the top three singles contests to edge the Tritons, 5-4, Saturday at the Northview Tennis Courts. Cal State L.A. (6-3) won its second straight match against a nationally-ranked opponent. The Golden Eagles, ranked 20th in the NCAA Division II, beat NAIA No. 11 Vanguard on Wednesday and then beat UC San Diego, which is ranked 17th in the NCAA Division II.

It was a big victory regionally for the Golden Eagles. Cal State L.A. was ranked fourth and UC San DIego was fifth in the most recent West Region rankings.

Christie Lau and Larn McShane won at No. 1 doubles, 8-2, over Melissa Breisacher and Jacqueline Davis, while Leora Hemmerich and Jill Sangria won at No. 2 doubles, 8-4, over Tara Vanooteghem and Melinda Chu.

The advantage in the doubles proved decisive after the two squads split the six singles matches.

Lau won at No. 1 singles, 6-3, 6-3, over Breisacher, McShane won at No. 2 singles, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 over Chu and Hemmerich won at No. 3 singles, 6-2, 7-6, over Yeung. Sangria dropped a tough three-set decision to Katie Mulloy, 5-7, 6-3, 6-3.

Cal State L.A. will return to action on Thursday with a home match against NCAA Division I St. John's at 1:30 p.m.


CAL STATE L.A. 5, UC SAN DIEGO 4
Singles
1. Christie Lau (CSULA) def. Melissa Breisacher (UCSD), 6-3, 6-3
2. Larn McShane (CSULA) def. Melinda Chu (UCSD), 5-7, 6-3, 6-2
3. Leora Hemmerich (CSULA) def. Samantha Yeung (UCSD), 6-2, 7-6
4. Katie Mulloy (UCSD) def. Jill Sangria (CSULA), 5-7, 6-3, 6-3
5. Tara Vanooteghem (UCSD) def. Tiffany Leung (CSULA), 6-2, 6-0
6. Krystal Mizuguchi (UCSD) def. Maria Xavier (CSULA), 6-0, 6-1

Doubles
1. Lau/McShane (CSULA) def. Breisacher/Davis (UCSD), 8-2
2. Hemmerich/Sangria (CSULA) def. Vanooteghem/Chu (UCSD), 8-4
3. Mulloy/Yeung (UCSD) def. Leung/Xavier (CSULA, 8-4