RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- The California State University Northridge (CSUN) Women’s Tennis team achieved a decisive victory against the UC Riverside Highlanders, triumphing 6-1 at the SRC Tennis Courts on March 24, 2025. This win marked an impressive streak for CSUN, solidifying their long-standing dominance over UCR with a perfect 16-0 record against them.
The Matadors kicked off the afternoon by claiming the doubles point. Elena Goodman and Emma Moratalla Sanz triumphed over Crystal Kim and Sam Condevillamar with a score of 6-2. Following that, Yuliia Zhytelna and Madison Shepperson secured a similar 6-2 victory over Niki Shahbazi and Chloe Vu, marking six consecutive wins for their doubles team as they began the season boasting a remarkable 6-0 record.
In singles play, Goodman continued to showcase her prowess, defeating Kim 6-1 before Kim had to retire in the second set, furthering the Matadors' lead to 2-0. Just moments later, Angela Ho clinched her 11th match of the season by overcoming Shahbazi with a score of 6-1, 6-3, making it 3-0 for the Matadors.
Shepperson's victory against Condevillamar sealed CSUN’s win with a straight-set victory of 6-3, 7-5, pushing the team's lead to 4-0. Reflecting on her performance, Shepperson stated, “The matches today were tough, especially with the heat making things more challenging. However, I’m proud of how I kept my focus and mental strength to push through and come out on top.”
Moratalla Sanz added to the Matadors' tally with a 7-5, 6-1 win over Vu, advancing CSUN to a commanding 5-0 lead. Victoria Santibanez Luna capped off the match by defeating Kei Kato 7-6 (3), 6-4 to finalize the score at 6-1 for the visitors.
With this victory, CSUN's season record improved to 8-7, with a 2-3 standing in Big West play. The Matadors now aim for their third consecutive win against UC Davis, set to take place at the Matador Tennis Complex on March 29, 2025.
Meanwhile, across town in Riverside, the No. 55 UC Santa Barbara Women’s Tennis team is gearing up for an eventful week with three conference matchups. Their first stop will be at UC Riverside on March 25, where they will take on the Highlanders, followed by a clash against Long Beach State on March 26. They will then head to Hawaii later in the week, facing the Rainbow Wahine on March 29.
In their last outing on March 22, the Gauchos turned their recent form around with a 5-2 victory over Harvard. Critical to their success was the doubles point won with a tiebreak victory from Ali Benedetto and Lily Pradkin. They also secured strong single matches from Amelia Honer, Raphaelle Leroux, and Tyra Richardson, with Katarina Vayser adding the fifth point with her decisive 6-3, 6-2 victory.
Historically, Santa Barbara holds a flawless 19-0 record against UC Riverside. Last season, they managed a complete sweep in their three meetings. The Highlanders, who currently sit at a record of 4-12 overall and 0-3 in their conference play, have been struggling this season, only managing their first victory in February against Concordia Irvine after starting with a 0-4 record.
Both teams are experiencing contrasting seasons, with Santa Barbara frequently showcasing their skills and building upon past successes. They are currently ranked 55th, while UC Riverside does not hold a ranking and needs to find ways to turn their season around. As the Gauchos prepare to face the Highlanders, they will aim to carry their momentum from the victory against Harvard and assert their dominance in the upcoming matches.
The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos will also challenge Long Beach State on March 26, where they face a team that currently sits at 10-3 overall. Santa Barbara has faced them seven times and holds a record of 7-14. Nevertheless, they will approach this match with confidence, having claimed victories in their last seven encounters.
With the Gauchos poised to create even more excitement on their road trip, they are looking forward to the matchup against Hawai’i, where they have a 10-7 record historically and have won four out of the last five encounters with the Rainbow Wahine. Such experiences will only serve to bolster their confidence as they hit the courts.
As both teams look forward to their respective matches, fans are eager for a week filled with competitive action in collegiate tennis.
