Sept. 20, 2013

LAS VEGAS - Long Beach State women's tennis started off the fall season strong as the 49ers won six matches on day one of the UNLV Invitational.

Beach tennis fielded seven players for singles matches and three teams for doubles. Last year's Big West Freshman of the Year Ebba Unden began her sophomore campaign with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over New Mexico State University's Ash Shrivastava. Junior Karolina Rozenberg also won her match as she beat Tatum Rochin of Northern Arizona 6-0, 6-3.

Three freshman began their 49er careers off with victories as Maeva Razakasoa defeated Anita Lee of Southern Illinois, 6-1, 6-2 and Laura Eales won 6-4, 6-1 over Middle Tennessee State's Sarah Sediri. Hayley Thompson joined her classmates as she beat Southern Illinois' Lauren Hoeksta 6-0, 6-3. Fellow freshman Julie Gerard fell 6-4, 5-7, 6-1 to Alexis Thoma of the University of North Texas and Gabriela Tilkeridisova lost 6-1, 3-6, 6-1 to the University of Southern Alabama's Mary Angela Martin.

In doubles play, Laura Eales and Gabriela Tilkeridisova picked up the lone LBSU win as the duo won 8-4 over Arianda Cairo Baza and Gisela Cairo Baza of Southern Illinois. 59th-ranked pair Karolina Rozenberg and Ebba Unden lost a tight match by the score of 9-8 to Northern Arizona's Johanna Vang and Hailey Rochin and Maeva Razakasoa and Julie Gerardweren't able to pull off the victory over North Texas' Alexis Thoma and Augstina Valenzuela, falling 8-6.

The 49ers will continue both singles and doubles play tomorrow at 10 a.m. on day two of the Invitational.

Day 1 Results