Wildcats Secure 4-3 Victory over UCSB Saturday

Saturday, February 3

Santa Barbara, Calif.

4 p.m.

Kansas State University

UCSB

Feb 03, 2018 | Tennis

Box Score (PDF)

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. –Freshman Rosanna Maffei's victory in a third-set tiebreaker sealed a 4-3 win over UC Santa Barbara on Saturday at the UCSB Tennis Courts.

With the match tied 3-3, K-State (2-1) picked up its second road victory of the young season as Maffei overcame an opening-set loss to win in three sets over UCSB's Natalie Da Silveira, 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (2), at the No. 2 position.

"In singles, we didn't have the best start on all courts, but Maria (Linares) had a great and complete match," head coach Danielle Steinberg said. "Both Rosanna and Ines (Mesquita) had slow starts but were able to get into it early in the second sets. For Rosy to be able to clinch the match for us as a freshman the way she did, that's big and it shows how much potential she has and how much she can do for us in the future."

The Wildcats promptly claimed the doubles point from the Gauchos (3-3) with a pair of 6-1 wins by both the Nos. 2 and 3 doubles teams. The duo of Maria Linares and Ines Mesquita took the victory at the No. 2 slot while the freshman pair of Anna Turco and Maffei claimed the win at the third position.

Linares and Mesquita remained unblemished playing together in the dual season (3-0) while Maffei and Turco played together for the first time this spring.

"I loved our energy and aggressiveness in doubles today," added Steinberg. "It made the difference on Courts 2 and 3 and ended up being the difference in the match. I know we can be a strong doubles team, and today was a step in the right direction."

Linares' straight-set win (6-1, 6-1) at No. 4 over Stephanie Yamada leveled the match at two points apiece after UCSB was able to get points on Courts 3 and 6.

Following the Gauchos' Palina Dubavets 7-5, 6-3 win at the No. 1 spot over freshman Margot Decker, Mesquita overcame a first-set loss to pull out a 2-6, 6-2, 7-5 win at No. 5 singles to tie the match once again.

Linares, Maffei and Mesquita each boast a perfect 3-0 record in singles to begin the dual season.

Senior Carolina Costamagna dropped a straight-set decision to Amanda Atanasson, 6-1, 6-3, and senior Carolina Lewis was bested by Lise Sentenac at the sixth slot, 6-0, 6-1.

The Cats embark of their home campaign against North Texas on Friday, February 9 at 3 p.m., and vs. Washington State on Sunday, February 11 at 11 a.m. Both matches are scheduled indoors at Body First Tennis Center in Manhattan.