MALIBU, Calif. — Facing their third top-10 ranked opponent on the road this spring, the Saint Mary’s women’s tennis team battled No. 9 Pepperdine Friday but would drop its first West Coast Conference match of the year, 4-0, at the Ralphs-Straus Tennis Center.
The Gaels (6-8, 3-1 WCC) saw their four-match winning streak come to an end after losing the doubles point, then falling at No. 1, 2 and 3 singles to the Waves (12-2, 2-0 WCC). The SMC doubles team of Clementine Clement and Emma Critser was leading the No. 13-ranked team of Matea Cutura and Christine Maddox, 5-4, but were not able to finish the match before the doubles point was decided.