MEN’S TENNIS CONCLUDES REGULAR SEASON WITH VICTORY OVER UC SANTA BARBARA

4/21/2007

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- Seniors Gabriel Loredo, Ramon Perez and Warwick Foy, and freshman Tim Lantin each posted straight-set victories to lead Sacramento State to a 4-3 win over UC Santa Barbara in a non-conference men’s tennis match Saturday afternoon at the Recreation Center.

With the win, the Hornets concluded the regular season with an 18-5 record. Sacramento State, which has now won 14 of its last 16 matches, clinched the No. 1 seed for next weekend’s Big Sky Tournament in Gold River, Calif. The Hornets will receive a first-round bye at the tournament and begin play in the semifinals on Saturday, April 28, at 2 p.m.

The Hornets’ 18-5 record is their best regular season finish since the 2001 team wrapped up the regular season with an 18-2 mark. Sacramento State also improved to 11-5 away from its home courts. The loss dropped UC Santa Barbara to 4-18.

The Gauchos began the match by taking two of the three doubles competitions to pick up the doubles point. However, the Hornets were able to win four of the six singles matches to claim the 4-3 victory.

Sacramento State’s Nos. 3-6 players each won, comprised of Loredo (No. 3; 7-5, 6-0), Perez (No. 4; 6-4, 7-5), Foy (No. 5; 6-1, 6-1) and Lantin (No. 6; 7-6, 6-0). Perez clinched the fourth point and the match with his victory at No. 4 over Josh Finkelstein. The Hornets’ top two singles players (No. 1 Xavier Barajas-Smith and No. 2 Anton Stryhas) each lost in straight sets. Stryhas’ match was the last to end as the Hornets were already leading, 4-2, when his match concluded.

Sacramento State will look for its first Big Sky Tournament championship since the 2003 season next weekend. The Hornets were able to grab the No. 1 seed for the tournament by defeating all seven Big Sky opponents during the regular season. The winner of the Big Sky Tournament receives an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament, a place the Hornets have been four times (1999, 2001-03) since joining the Div. I ranks in 1991-92.

Sacramento State 4, UC Santa Barbara 3

DOUBLES
1. Loredo/Stryhas (SAC) def. Hejazi/Hui (UCSB), 8-4
2. Dalskov/Robertson (UCSB) def. Barajas-Smith/Hague Van Dillen (SAC), 8-4
3. Finkelstein/Nigel Barton (UCSB) def. Perez/Foy (SAC), 9-7

SINGLES
1. Bijan Hejazi (UCSB) def. Xavier Barajas-Smith (SAC), 6-1, 6-3
2. Anders Dalskov (UCSB) def. Anton Stryhas (SAC), 6-4, 6-3
3. Gabriel Loredo (SAC) def. Jack Hui (UCSB), 7-5, 6-0
4. Ramon Perez (SAC) def. Josh Finkelstein (UCSB), 6-4, 7-5
5. Warwick Foy (SAC) def. Grant Robertson (UCSB), 6-1, 6-1
6. Tim Lantin (SAC) def. Max Taylor (UCSB), 7-6 (4), 6-0