Women’s sports action from April 7 to 12
Golf:
DAC/SMU Invitational (3 of 16)
After an outstanding showing in Hawai’i at the Avenue Spring Break Classic, the Aggies hoped to recapture some of the magic in Dallas, Texas. The first day of the Invitational was more of the same, with UC Davis finishing in second among a talented field. Sophomore Paige Lee was outstanding, shooting a 4-under 68 for her second round to finish 1-under on the first day.
The Aggies slipped slightly on the second day after Lee shot a 6-over 78 to finish No. 6 individually. Junior Andrea Wong, who finished first in Hawai’i, crept up the leaderboard to finish No. 7 after to a 2-over 74 final round. The Aggies finished the tournament tied for third place, five strokes behind second place Purdue. The next tournament up is the Big West Tournament that will take place at the El Macero Country Club from April 19-21.
Lacrosse (3-10):
UC Davis @ Fresno State (W, 11-6)
UC Davis @ California (W, 13-8)
UC Davis vs. Oregon (L, 10-7)
After one win in their first 10 games, something finally clicked as the Aggies won two out of three games including a victory in Berkeley over California. Against Fresno State, UC Davis was able to jump out to a 4-2 lead at halftime and went on a 7-4 run to win by five. Senior Elizabeth Landry led the way with four goals.
Junior Courtney Neff was the star of the show for the Aggies against Cal, scoring five goals, including three in overtime. The two teams played a tight match through regulation, with Cal able to force overtime. UC Davis then shut down their host for the final period, outscoring the Golden Bears 5-0 in overtime for their second straight win.
Riding high after beginning their first winning streak of the season, the Aggies were felled by the visiting Oregon Ducks 10-7. Landry finished with three goals, but no other UC Davis athlete was able to score more than one goal. The Ducks finished with a 24-12 shooting advantage.
Softball (14-22):
UC Davis @ Sacramento State (L, 5-4)
UC Davis vs. Cal Poly (L, W, L)
Big West play has not been kind to the Aggies thus far as they have fallen to 2-7, tied for the worst record in the Conference. In a non-conference matchup dispersed between Big West games, UC Davis faced off with Sacramento State and fell 4-5. The Aggies scored three runs in the first inning, but allowed three in the final two innings to give their opponent the final edge.
With three straight games at home against middling Cal Poly, the Aggies hoped to grab a few conference wins, but were only able to come away with one. The first two games were played in a double header, with the Mustangs taking the first after holding UC Davis scoreless. The Aggies brought early offense to the second game, bringing in four runs in the first two innings. Their offense once again abandoned them for the final game of the series, as UC Davis was able to score just one run despite getting six hits.
Tennis (10-11):
UC Davis vs. Cal State Stanislaus (W, 7-0)
With a week break before and after their Saturday matchup against CSU Stanislaus, the Aggies had plenty of time to prepare for the second-to-last opponent of their season. The time off seems to have done the team well as they swept their visitors, only allowing CSUS to win two sets.
The Aggies dominated in doubles, winning all but three games. The only real competition was in the first and second singles spots, with each going to three sets. UC Santa Cruz will visit the Marya Welch Tennis Center for the final match of the season. If the Aggies are able to capture a victory, they will finish their season with a .500 record.
Track and Field:
Arizona State Sun Angel Classic (No team scores)
Mesa Track and Field Classic (No team scores)
Leaving the comforts of California, the Aggies travelled to Tempe, Ariz., to take part in two meets. Several UC Davis athletes made their way to the top of their events. Senior Cekarri Nixon finished No. 9 and 6 in the 200 and 400-meter premiere events respectively while senior Raquel Lambdin added a No. 4 finish in the 1500-meter premiere. Senior Veronica Smart also grabbed two top-10 finishes, nabbing third place in the shot put and sixth in the hammer throw.
At the Mesa Track and Field Classic, Smart continued to see her name at the top of her event as she finished in fourth in both the shot put and the hammer throw. Sophomore Michaela Mundt ended the day in fifth in the hammer throw, one spot behind Smart. The Aggies have a number of meets left, including hosting the Woody Wilson Classic, before competing in the Big West Championships between May 8 and 16.
Water Polo (16-12):
UC Davis @ No. 12 Long Beach State (L, 7-6)
UC Davis @ No. 5 UC Irvine (W, 6-5)
With a week of rest under their belts, the Aggies travelled to Southern California for a two game road-trip, returning with a victory and a loss. Against Long Beach State, UC Davis seemed to have the win in the palm of their hand as they led 4-2 at halftime and 6-3 in the fourth quarter. The 49ers had a comeback in the works, however, and roared back with four straight goals to take a 6-7 win.
With the sting of a comeback defeat fresh on their minds, the Aggies came into their contest against UC Irvine thinking upset. The game did not look promising as the Anteaters scored the first three goals of the game. UC Davis, however, worked its way back into the game and the two teams found themselves tied at five apiece entering the final quarter. Senior Elsie Fullerton scored the lone goal of the fourth on an outside shot, winning the game.
The Aggies have now played their final Big West game and sit in fourth in the Conference. They have two warm-up games at home against non-conference opponents before the Big West Tournament in Hawai’i between April 24 and 26.
Graphic by Andrew Li.
