Moraga, Calif. – For the first time this season, the UC Santa Barbara women's tennis team lost its second-straight match.

Since last competing against Kansas State on Feb. 3, the Gauchos had not faced another opponent leading up to Saturday. It is possible the time off disrupted Santa Barbara's rhythm as its return to dual match play resulted in it being swept 4-0 by St. Mary's of Calif.

UCSB is now 3-5 heading into Sunday's matchup against No. 15 California. Meanwhile, the Gaels won their second consecutive match and are now 3-4.

A dominant tempo was set early in Saturday's match as the Gauchos' senior tandem of Natalie Da Silveira and Palina Dubavets had no answer for St. Mary's No. 51 nationally ranked pair of Hind Abdelouahid and Mariia Kozyreva. UCSB's pair was shutout 6-0, earning the Gaels their first win within doubles play.

Excluding UCSB's senior pair, the Gauchos introduced some new doubles duos. Junior Stephanie Yamada and sophomore Amit Lev Ari were paired with each other on court No. 2, while senior Amanda Atanasson and freshman Lise Sentenac played on court three.

Finding a way to fend off St. Mary's momentum was difficult, and ultimately wasn't completed. A 6-3 loss by Atanasson and Sentenac to St. Mary's Clementine Clement and Aubane Ville tallied the Gaels' doubles point victory, giving them a 1-0 lead over the Gauchos.

Yamada and Lev Ari led Emma Critser and Kareena Manji 6-5 before the matchup was ruled unfinished.

Much didn't change during singles play as the Gauchos remained outmatched and unable to capture a win.

Further increasing UC Santa Barbara's one-point deficit was Yamada's 6-2, 6-2 loss to Crister on court five.

"I believe we need to scrap this match completely out of our heads, and start fresh and clean, especially with tomorrow's tough matchup," Yamada said. "We definitely need to start off strong withour doubles, and follow it with [a strong] singles to bounce back."

Down 2-0, the Gauchos attempt at a comeback became more challenging as the momentum continued to shift in favor of the Gaels.

One of the more competitive matches on the day took place on court No. 2 between UCSB's Da Silveira and St. Mary's Abdelouahid.

Da Silveira made the first move, making quick work of Abdelouahid with a 6-2 win in the first set. But the Gaucho senior fell short in sustaining such play as she was defeated in back-to-back sets 6-1, 6-1, and UCSB further trailed 3-0.

Ending the match off was Sentenac's 6-2, 6-4 loss to Vanessa Nommensen, which secured St. Mary's 4-0 sweep of the Gauchos.

"It was a tough match overall," Head Coach Simon Thibodeau said. "It was winnable, but to do a better job, we must improve our serves and returns, and just our overall consistency. Tomorrow is a new day and we'll be ready for Cal."

UCSB will continue its road trip at No. 15 Cal tomorrow, Feb. 18 at 12 p.m. at the Hellman Tennis Complex.

Saint Mary's 4, UC Santa Barbara 0
Timothy Korth Tennis Complex
Feb. 17, 2018

Singles
1. Mariia Kozyreva (SMC) vs Paulina Dubavets (UCSB) 7-6, 3-6, unfinished
2. Hind Abdelouahid (SMC) d. Natalie Da Silveira (UCSB) 2-6, 6-1, 6-1
3. Clementine Clement (SMC) vs Amanda Atanasson (UCSB) 4-6, 6-2, unfinished
4. Kareena Manji (SMC) vs Amit Lev Ari (UCSB) 6-7, 6-1, unfinished
5. Emma Critser (SMC) d. Stephanie Yamada (UCSB) 6-2, 6-2
6. Vanessa Nommensen (SMC) d. Lise Sentenac (UCSB) 6-2, 6-4 

Doubles
1. No. 51 Abdelouahid/Kozyreva (SMC) d. Dubavets/Da Silveira (UCSB) 6-0
2. Manji/Critser (SMC) vs Lev Ari/Yamada (UCSB) 5-5, unfinished
3. Clement/Ville (SMC) d. Atanasson/Sentenac (UCSB) 6-3

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