Fayetteville, Ark.- The UC Santa Barbara Gauchos (1-2) fell to the Oklahoma Sooners (3-0) by a score of 5-2 on Saturday in Arkansas.
The Sooners took two doubles matches from the Gauchos, winning at the two and three positions. Natalie Da Silveira and Jaimee Gilbertson lost to the Sooners' Simran Sethi and Lily Miyazaki 6-3 and Lou Adler and Melissa Baker lost to Abbi Melrose and Zita Engbroks 6-2.
Gilbertson and Da Silveira were the lone winners on the singles side. Gilbertson, playing number three, defeated Morgan Chumney by a score of 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) and Da Silveira, playing number four, defeated Abbi Melrose, after Melrose retired, 6-3, ret.
Assistant Coach Erica Cano praised the play of April Scatliffe and Gilbertson, despit Scatliffe's loss.
"April played really well and fought so hard which is a lot of fun to watch," she said. "Jaimee went out on a mission and took down a pretty talented player while making it look easy. Her cross court game was unbelievably good and I was really impressed with her game and attitude."
Gilbertson was proud of the way her team played.
"Despite losing overall, each and every player fought as hard as they could which made me proud to be a Gaucho," she said.
Gilbertson also felt good about her own game.
"I feel I was able to be mentally tough as well as play a solid defensive game," she said. "Co,ing away with my second personal singles win of the season is exciting, but knowing I still have a lot of room for improvement gives me plenty to focus on for the upcoming matches."
The next match for the Gauchos is at home on Saturday, Janurary 31st against UNLV.
UC Santa Barbara vs Oklahoma
(Billingsley Tennis Center)
University of Oklahoma 5, UC Santa Barbara 2
Singles Competition
1. Lily Miyazaki (OU) def. Lou Adler (UCSB) 6-4, 6-3
2. Simran Sethi (OU) def. April Scatliffe (UCSB) 2-6, 6-4, 1-0(12-10)
3. Jaimee Gilbertson (UCSB) def. Morgan Chumney (OU) 6-1, 7-6(7-4)
4. Natalie Da Silveira (UCSB) def. Abbi Melrose (OU) 6-3, ret.
5. Zita Engbroks (OU) def. Melissa Baker (UCSB) 7-6, 6-4
6. Christiana Brigante (OU) def. Stacy Yam (UCSB) 6-1, 6-3
Doubles Competition
1. Emma Devine/Morgan Chumney (OU) vs April Scatliffe/Priscila Garcia (UCSB) (unfinished)
2. Simran Sethi/Lily Miyazaki (OU) def. Natalie Da Silveira/Jaimee Gilbertson (UCSB) 6-3
3. Abbi Melrose/Zita Enngbroks (OU) def. Lou Adler/Melissa Baker (UCSB) 6-2
Order of finish
Doubles: 3, 2, 1
Singles: 4, 6, 1, 3, 5, 2
