SAN DIEGO, Calif. - The Cal State Fullerton Titans women's tennis team fell just a few points short of capturing their first Big West Title and first ever team NCAA appearance in a 4-3 loss to Cal Poly on Saturday at the Barnes Tennis Center.

It came down to the final match between No. 5 Milena Gevorgyan and Mustang No. 5 Melissa LaMette.  In a three set battle, Milena Gevorgan was edged 6-2,6-7. 4-6 to hand Cal Poly their second ever Big West title.  Gevorgyan was ahead in the final game against LaMette but couldn't find the point to take it to 5-all and extend the match.  

The Titans (17-9) were in their second ever Big West Championship game and their first since 2018.  

The Titans played from behind after dropping the doubles point to the Mustangs.  The Mustangs won 6-0 in No. 1 doubles and 6-3 in No. 2 doubles to take the point.

In singles, just like a few weeks ago at the Titan Courts, it was a very evenly matched affair.  Natalie Duffy was the first to finish in No. 3 singles and tied the match at 1-1 after vanquishing her opponent 6-4, 6-3.  Cal Poly built a 3-1 lead after winning in No. 4 singles and No. 2 singles. Josie Usereau won her No. 1 singles match 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 to keep the Titans alive.  Mariia Nikitash was the next to finish after winning 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 in No. 6 singles to tie the match at 3-3.

It all came down to the No. 5 singles match.  Melissa LaMette battled out of being down 6-2, 5-2 in the second set to win the second set and the tiebreak 7-6.  She was able to break Gevorgyan's serve in the third set after Milena led 3-2 and eventually won the title for the Mustangs with a 2-6, 7-6, 6-4 victory.

The Titans only graduated one senior in Natalie Duffy for this season.  However, three of the Titan's top four singles players (1-Josie Usereau, 2-Sein Myoung, and 4-Seha Yu) are only freshman.  Milena Gevorgyan, Mariia Nikitash, Kaytlin Taylor, and Diana Yanotovskaya are also underclassmen.  

DOUBLES
No. 1 D. Dunkle/P. Dunkle defeated Sein Myoung/Josie Usereau 6-0
No. 2 Melissa LaMette/Romane Mosse defeated Natalie Duffy/Mariia Nikitash 6-3
No. 3 Milena Gevorgyan/Seha Yu vs Eliza Bates/Kennedy Buntrock 5-4 (unfinished)
Order of Finish (1, 2)

SINGLES
No. 1 Josie Usereau defeated Delanie Dunkle 3-6, 6-4, 6-2
No. 2 Peyton Dunkle defeated Sein Myoung 6-1, 4-6, 6-2
No. 3 Natalie Duffy defeated Alexandra Ozerets 6-4, 6-3
No. 4 Romane Mosse defeated Seha Yu 6-2, 6-4
No. 5 Melissa LaMette defeated Milena Gevorgyan 2-6, 7-6, 6-4
No. 6 Mariia Nikitash defeated Kennedy Buntrock 6-1, 4-6, 6-3
Order of FInish (3, 4, 2, 1, 6, 5)

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