SURPRISE, ARIZ. -- Cal State LA's women's tennis team found itself on the wrong side of a post-match celebration on the opening day of the PacWest Conference Championship Tournament.

The No. 6 seed Golden Eagles (7-14) fell to No. 11 Dominican (10-10), 5-4, Wednesday in a match that came down to a third set tiebreaker in the final singles contest on the court. Cal State LA, which had beaten the Penguins twice during the regular season, won two of the three doubles contests, but only two of the six singles matches.

Dominican's Kaitlyn Nguyen edged Cal State LA's Mariko Sagara at No. 4 singles, 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5) in a match that was decided on the final two points.

Cal State LA had pulled into a 4-4 tie when Isabella Lopez rallied for a three-set win over Alex Wartenberg, 1-6, 6-3, 6-0, at No. 3 singles.

Chelsey Ruiz picked up the other singles win for the Golden Eagles, beating Dominican's Taylor Lim, 7-5, 6-1, at No. 5 singles.

Lopez and Amanda Schneider beat Rickiemae Torres and Skyler Schaar, 8-2, at No. 1 doubles and Ruiz and Elizaveta Sokolova beat Lim and Savannah Gray, 8-2, at No. 2 doubles to give the Golden Eagles the early lead.

Dominican, though, quickly won the first three singles contests off the court to take a 4-2 lead before wins by Ruiz and Lopez made it 4-4.

Cal State LA has been on the celebratory side of opening matches at this tournament previously. Last year, Luciana Di Laura, who missed Wednesday's match because of injury, earned the deciding point in a 5-4 win over Azusa Pacific. Two years ago, the Golden Eagles emerged with a 5-2 win over Point Loma on Day 1 and in 2015, Sokolova, as a freshman, earned the winning point in a lengthy 5-3 victory over Azusa Pacific.

Cal State LA will return to action on Thursday with a match against Dixie State at 5:30 p.m.

Dominican 5, Cal State L.A. 4
04/18/18 at Surprise, Ariz.

Singles competition

1. Rickimae Torres (DUC) def. Elizaveta Sokolova (CSLA) 6-1, 6-2

2. #63 Skyler Schaar (DUC) def. #74 Amanda Schneider (CSLA) 6-4, 6-1

3. Isabella Lopez (CSLA) def. Alex Wartenberg (DUC) 1-6, 6-3, 6-0

4. Kaitlyn Nguyen (DUC) def. Mariko Sagara (CSLA) 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5)

5. Chelsey Ruiz (CSLA) def. Taylor Lim (DUC) 7-5, 6-1

6. Savannah Gray (DUC) def. Snezana Ivanovic (CSLA) 6-4, 6-0

 

Doubles competition

1. Isabella Lopez/Amanda Schneider (CSLA) def. Rickimae Torres/Skyler Schaar (DUC) 8-2

2. Chelsey Ruiz/Elizaveta Sokolova (CSLA) def. Taylor Lim/Savannah Gray (DUC) 8-2

3. Alex Wartenberg/Kaitlyn Nguyen (DUC) def. Snezana Ivanovic/Mariko Sagara (CSLA) 8-2

Match Notes

Dominican 10-10

Cal State LA 7-14

Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (6,1,2,5,3,4)

PacWest Women's Tennis Tournament First Round

Cal State LA is the No. 6 seed

Dominican is the No. 11 seed

T-4:16