California State University Northridge Athletics
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2025-26 Top CSUN Moments - Women’s Tennis Reaches Big West Semifinals to Cap Thrilling Season
7/17/2026 10:09:00 AM | General, Women's Tennis
From July 6 to August 7, GoMatadors.com will present the top CSUN Moments from the 2025-26 sports season. Today, we celebrate the CSUN women's tennis team and their top moments of the season, including winning the most games since the 2022-23 campaign and great showings in the fall tournaments.
The 2026 season for the CSUN women's tennis team can be defined by grit and determination. From a historic run in the ITA Southwest Regionals in the fall to winning two postseason matches for the first time since 2004, this tennis squad was full of fighters.
WHAT A WAY TO START
The women's tennis team had a historic weekend as the Matadors completed the ITA Southwest Regional Tournament in San Diego from Oct. 16-21, 2025. CSUN was led by Angela Ho and Nicole West as the duo earned five wins in doubles play on the way to the first ever ITA Southwest Regional Finals appearance by a CSUN team in its history.
The Southwest Regionals is a very tough playing field, including the likes of UCLA, USC, Arizona, Arizona State, San Diego State, Loyola Marymount, Hawai'i, Fullerton, Grand Canyon, Pepperdine, UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly. In the quarterfinals, CSUN matched up against a Big 12 opponent, Arizona State. The Sun Devils went 15-10 in 2025, facing many ranked teams last season. Ho and West conquered Emilija Tverijonaite and Vivian Ovrootsky by a score of 8-6, as CSUN reached the final four.
Ho and West defeated Sophie Rachor and Grete Gull, 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) of Hawai'i to reach the finals.
CSUN's last opponent was USC, which went 17-8 in the spring and 9-4 in a hotly contested Big Ten conference. It was a barnburner in the championship to put it lightly. Ho and West went to the brink against Daniela Borruel and Lily Fairclough, with two sets going to a tiebreaker. Ultimately, CSUN fell against the Trojans, 6-7 (10-12) 6-4, 11-9.
Ho and West's performance earned them a spot at the 2025 ITA DI Women's West Sectional Championships hosted by the University of Washington. Unfortunately, the run came to an end in that tournament, with the duo falling in the first round.
PROTECTING HOME COURT
These Matadors loved playing on their home court in Northridge as the squad went 10-2 at home, the most wins at home since the 2022-23 season where they went 11-1. CSUN went 6-1 against teams outside the Big West in Northridge, including picking up impressive wins versus Richmond, Fresno State and Youngstown State. In the final four Big West games at home, CSUN went a perfect 4-0, including blanking Hawai'i, 7-0, a team that finished better than CSUN in the Big West standings in 2025.
DOUBLE DIGIT SINGLES VICTORIES
The Matadors had a solid core the whole season, including four players who crossed the double-digit mark in wins for singles play. Emma Moratalla Sanz led the way by going 17-6, including being dominant at court No. 3 where she went 10-2. Ho wasn't too far behind either, she went 13-9 primarily on court No. 1, her second straight season of double-digit victories. Perhaps the most unexpected performance has to come from freshman Satsuki Ishikawa. The Japanese native went 13-2 on the season, including winning her first 13 collegiate matches to begin her career. Rounding out the top four is West who was a solid 11-7 as she was the foundation for a lot of the CSUN wins.
BIG TIME POSTSEASON PLAYERS
CSUN entered the 2026 Big West Championships as the No. 6 seed. In the first round, the Matadors made quick work of the No.7 seed UC Irvine, 4-0. The next day, CSUN entered the quarterfinals as the underdog to No. 3 seed Cal State Fullerton. It was a match that was tied 3-3 heading into the final showdown between West and Amelia Zylberman. It came down to a third set, and West slammed the door on the Titans winning 6-3 to send CSUN to the semifinals.
CSUN fought to the very end in the semis against Cal Poly. CSUN won the doubles point and earned singles wins from Sandra Isabela Arguelles and Tallia Harper. It was tied at three apiece as the match came down to Alexandra Ozerets of the Mustangs, who clinched the match for Cal Poly with a three-set victory over Ishikawa on Court No. 4.
Despite dropping the final match of the season to Cal Poly, it was still a season to remember.
#GoMatadors
The 2026 season for the CSUN women's tennis team can be defined by grit and determination. From a historic run in the ITA Southwest Regionals in the fall to winning two postseason matches for the first time since 2004, this tennis squad was full of fighters.
WHAT A WAY TO START
The women's tennis team had a historic weekend as the Matadors completed the ITA Southwest Regional Tournament in San Diego from Oct. 16-21, 2025. CSUN was led by Angela Ho and Nicole West as the duo earned five wins in doubles play on the way to the first ever ITA Southwest Regional Finals appearance by a CSUN team in its history.
The Southwest Regionals is a very tough playing field, including the likes of UCLA, USC, Arizona, Arizona State, San Diego State, Loyola Marymount, Hawai'i, Fullerton, Grand Canyon, Pepperdine, UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly. In the quarterfinals, CSUN matched up against a Big 12 opponent, Arizona State. The Sun Devils went 15-10 in 2025, facing many ranked teams last season. Ho and West conquered Emilija Tverijonaite and Vivian Ovrootsky by a score of 8-6, as CSUN reached the final four.
Ho and West defeated Sophie Rachor and Grete Gull, 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) of Hawai'i to reach the finals.
CSUN's last opponent was USC, which went 17-8 in the spring and 9-4 in a hotly contested Big Ten conference. It was a barnburner in the championship to put it lightly. Ho and West went to the brink against Daniela Borruel and Lily Fairclough, with two sets going to a tiebreaker. Ultimately, CSUN fell against the Trojans, 6-7 (10-12) 6-4, 11-9.
Ho and West's performance earned them a spot at the 2025 ITA DI Women's West Sectional Championships hosted by the University of Washington. Unfortunately, the run came to an end in that tournament, with the duo falling in the first round.
PROTECTING HOME COURT
These Matadors loved playing on their home court in Northridge as the squad went 10-2 at home, the most wins at home since the 2022-23 season where they went 11-1. CSUN went 6-1 against teams outside the Big West in Northridge, including picking up impressive wins versus Richmond, Fresno State and Youngstown State. In the final four Big West games at home, CSUN went a perfect 4-0, including blanking Hawai'i, 7-0, a team that finished better than CSUN in the Big West standings in 2025.
DOUBLE DIGIT SINGLES VICTORIES
The Matadors had a solid core the whole season, including four players who crossed the double-digit mark in wins for singles play. Emma Moratalla Sanz led the way by going 17-6, including being dominant at court No. 3 where she went 10-2. Ho wasn't too far behind either, she went 13-9 primarily on court No. 1, her second straight season of double-digit victories. Perhaps the most unexpected performance has to come from freshman Satsuki Ishikawa. The Japanese native went 13-2 on the season, including winning her first 13 collegiate matches to begin her career. Rounding out the top four is West who was a solid 11-7 as she was the foundation for a lot of the CSUN wins.
BIG TIME POSTSEASON PLAYERS
CSUN entered the 2026 Big West Championships as the No. 6 seed. In the first round, the Matadors made quick work of the No.7 seed UC Irvine, 4-0. The next day, CSUN entered the quarterfinals as the underdog to No. 3 seed Cal State Fullerton. It was a match that was tied 3-3 heading into the final showdown between West and Amelia Zylberman. It came down to a third set, and West slammed the door on the Titans winning 6-3 to send CSUN to the semifinals.
CSUN fought to the very end in the semis against Cal Poly. CSUN won the doubles point and earned singles wins from Sandra Isabela Arguelles and Tallia Harper. It was tied at three apiece as the match came down to Alexandra Ozerets of the Mustangs, who clinched the match for Cal Poly with a three-set victory over Ishikawa on Court No. 4.
Despite dropping the final match of the season to Cal Poly, it was still a season to remember.
#GoMatadors
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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