San Francisco, Calif- The women's tennis team dominates the start of the season with two consecutive wins against the teams Sacramento State and Cal Poly.
 
 "I knew Sacramento State and Cal Poly were both going to be very tough and competitive matches and we played well against both teams," said head coach Hilary Somers.
 
On Wednesday, USF defeated Sacramento State 5-2. Two of those points came from doubles play. Marina Nikolic and Andrea Ka defeated Deimante Bulatovaite and Tori Trylovich in a quick 6-1 set. Thyra Taune and Genevieve McCloskey held onto the lead with a nail biter of a win against Alina Soltanici and Ana Loaiza Esquivias 7-6 (8-6).
 
The Dons took four of the six singles matches played to mark their win. Ka defeated Alina Soltanici in a three set match, 5-7,6-3, 6-1. Taune picked up a quick win, 6-2, 6-1 against Bulatovaite. Nikolic showed off her determination to win after defeating Anna-Maria Nau in a vigorous three set match, 5-7, 7-5, 6-3. The final win came from Milica Hadzi-Tanovic against Olivia Boija who had lost the first set 2-6, but pushed through to win the next two sets 6-4, 6-4.
 
Saturday's match play consisted of the Dons clinching their win 4-0 against Cal Poly. The Dons picked up their two point lead through Ka and Nikolic who defeated Emily Gibbens and Louise Oxnevad 6-0, and McCloskey and Taune who persevered to win their match, 7-6, (9-7), against Hannah Stone and Zoe Oedekerk.
 
In singles play, Taune picked up the first win against Oxnevad 6-0, 6-1. Ka, finishing just after Taune, defeated Gibbens in two sets, 6-0, 6-2. McCloskey sealed the win for the Dons when she beat Danè Joubert 6-2, 6-0.
 
"It was a good start for us and it is great to get the two wins as we have a really tough schedule coming up!" said head coach Somers.
 
Next up for the Dons will be Fresno State on February 6 and Kansas State February 7.
 
USF 5, Sac State 2
 
Singles
 
No. 1 Andrea Ka (USF) def. Alina Soltanici (Sac State); 5-7, 6-3, 6-1
No. 2 Thyra Taune (USF) def. Deimante Bulatovaite (Sac State); 6-2, 6-1
No. 3 Marina Nikolic (USF) def. Anna-Maria Nau (Sac State); 5-7, 7-5, 6-3
No. 4 Milica Hadzi-Tanovic (USF) def. Olivia Boija (Sac State); 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
No. 5 Tori Trylovich (Sac State) def. Genevieve McCloskey (USF); 6-1, 6-3
No. 6  Saskia Angerer (Sac State) def. Ines Teixeira (USF); 6-2, 6-4
 
Doubles
 
No. 1 Nikolic/Ka (USF) def.  Bulatovaite/Trylovich (Sac State); 6-1
No. 2 Boija/Ngyuen (Sac State) def. Hadzi-Tanovic/Teixeira (USF); 6-1
No. 3 Taune/McCloskey (USF) def. Savchenko/Loaiza Esquivias (USF); 7-6, (8-6)
 
USF 4, Cal Poly 0
 
Singles | Order to finish:  2, 1, and 5
 
No. 1 Andrea Ka (USF) def. Emily Gibbens (Cal Poly); 6-0, 6-2
No. 2 Thyra Taune (USF) def. Louise Oxnevad (Cal Poly); 6-0, 6-1
No. 5 Genevieve McCloskey (USF) def. Dane Joubert (Cal Poly); 6-2, 5-6
 
Doubles | Order to finish: 1, 2, and 3
 
No. 1 Ka/Nikolic (USF) def. Gibbens/Oxnevad (Cal Poly); 6-0
No. 2 Reed/Joubert (Cal Poly) def. Teixeira/Hadzi-Tanovic (USF); 6-4
No. 3 McCloskey/Taune (USF) def. Stone/Oxnevad (Cal Poly); 7-6 (9-7)