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Whittier, CA – On Saturday the Oxy women's tennis team travelled to play the Poets at their courts. There was a rowdy home crowd and the Whittier team capitalized on the energy in an attempt to mentally unsettle their opponents. The Tigers collectively remained strong, however, and found a way to stick to their game, winning the duel 6-3.
Andei Fukushige and Sarah Fleming started off the match strong with a quick 8-1 win at #1 doubles. The pair worked well, with Fukushige making aggressive plays at the net set up by Fleming's big serve. At #2, Alexis Matabuena and Dana Edson played a match with several big points ending at the net. They were able to execute more than the Poets in these moments and won the pro-set 8-4. Xavi Campbell and Emma Silber battled at #3 and narrowly lost in a tiebreaker.
At #1 singles, Andei Fukushige played a strong first set. It wasn't until the end of it that her Whitter opponent managed to grab a game. Fukushige finished off the set, refusing to let the momentum shift. Her opponent battled back in the second, raising the stakes by becoming very energized and vocal after every point she won. Fukushige kept the pressure on, and directed powerful shots to either corner. She finished the match in two sets, winning 6-1, 7-5.
At #2, Sarah Fleming went to three sets, winning 6-1, 2-6, 6-3. She played patient tennis in the sets she won, constructing points until she found the right time to be the aggressor.
At #3 Alexis Matabuena put up a fierce fight. After losing the first set 4-6, she blasted through the second set, winning 6-1. At that point, the overall duel was settled in Oxy's favor, so her match had to be decided in a super-tiebreaker. Her Whittier opponent managed to get the important, early lead in the tiebreaker, and won 10-4.
The #4 singles match was a similar story. There, Tilly Depery played long points from the baseline and narrowly lost the first set in a tiebreaker. In the second set, she figured out her opponent's weaknesses and took a 6-2 second set. She also ultimately fell in the third set super-tiebreaker.
Emma Silber at #5 was not fazed by the high energy of the match. She stuck to her own game, constructing and dictating points from start to finish. She won 6-2, 6-0.
At #6, Lily Lin had another clean win. She played smart tennis and hit well-placed, sharp angles. Her score was 6-1, 6-3.
Next Match: Friday, April 8th 3:00 PM - Oxy @Cal Lutheran
