SAN FRANCISCO -- Cal State LA's women's tennis team completed a rainy - and successful - road trip on Wednesday with an important victory over Academy of Art.

The Golden Eagles won four of the six singles contests, including the decider in a three-set thriller at No. 2 singles, and edged the Urban Knights, 5-4, at the San Francisco Tennis Club. Cal State LA (9-6) got the match-winning point from Elizaveta Sokolova, who beat Academy of Art's Michelle Dandik, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, to break a 4-4 tie.

The Golden Eagles finished their trip with victories over Dominican, Holy Names and Academy of Art. A match against Sonoma State on Sunday was cancelled because of rain and will not be made up.

The big win came on the day new rankings were released by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. Cal State LA slipped to No. 35 in the nation and No. 7 in the West Region, while Academy of Art was ranked No. 25 in the nation and No. 6 in the West Region.

The Golden Eagles managed one point in doubles, where Nozomi Matsuoka and Kayleigh Hall beat Alma Thell-Lenntorp and Klara Thell-Lenntorp, 8-6, at No. 1 doubles. That point loomed large because Cal State LA dropped the other two doubles contests.

Matsuoka won at No. 1 singles, beating Taisiia Andrieieva, 6-0, 6-2, Hall beat Annika Schneider, 6-0, 6-1, at No. 3 singles and Pyper Brown beat Gabriela Rivas, 6-0, 6-3, at No. 6 singles, setting the stage for Sokolova, who came back strongly in the third set of her match after dropping the second set, 6-0.

Cal State LA will return to action next Wednesday in a match at NCAA Division I program Cal State Northridge.

#35 Cal State L.A. 5, #25 Academy of Art University 4
Mar 23, 2016 at San Francisco, Calif. (San Francisco Tennis Club)

Singles competition

1. #37 Nozomi Matsuoka (CLA) def. Taisiia Andrieieva (AAU-WT) 6-0, 6-2

2. Elizaveta Sokolova (LA) def. Michelle Dandik (AAU-WT) 6-3, 0-6, 6-3

3. Kayleigh Hall (LA) def. Annika Schneider (AAU-WT) 6-0, 6-1

4. Klara Thell-Lenntorp (AAU-WT) def. Iris Raileanu (LA) 6-2, 6-0

5. Alma Thell-Lenntorp (AAU-WT) def. Isabella Lopez (LA) 6-2, 1-6, 6-0

6. Pyper Brown (LA) def. Gabriela Rivas (AAU-WT) 6-0, 6-3

 

Doubles competition

1. Nozomi Matsuoka/Kayleigh Hall (LA) def. Alma Thell-Lenntorp/Klara Thell-Lenntorp (AAU-WT) 8-6

2. Annika Schneider/Taisiia Andrieieva (AAU-WT) def. Iris Raileanu/Isabella Lopez (LA) 8-3

3. Paula Alcantara/Michelle Dandik (AAU-WT) def. Elizaveta Sokolova/Pyper Brown (LA) 8-3

Match Notes

Cal State L.A. 9-6; National ranking #35; Regional ranking #7

Academy of Art University 6-8; National ranking #25; Regional ranking #6

T-3:55 A-15