LAS VEGAS – San Diego State women’s tennis’ stay at the Mountain West Championship came to an end on Friday with the Aztecs falling 4-3 to fourth-seeded Boise State in the semifinal round. The Scarlet and Black captured the doubles point, but could not push past the Broncos in singles competition.
The Aztecs close out the conference tournament with a 17-7 record and 10-2 against Mountain West opponents.
Starting strong in doubles, Jo-Yee Chan and Liisa Varul took down Maya Dutta and Zdena Safarova 6-3 on the top court. The Broncos responded with a win on court three with Bhakti Shah and Paula Schaefer coming out on top 6-3 over Gloria Alogo and Zoe Olmos. All-Mountain West Doubles selection Yasmine Kabbaj and Ninon Martinache secured the doubles point with a 6-3 win over Lorelyz Marruffo and Ryan Kershner.
Olmos added a point for the Aztecs in singles, cruising to a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Ari Briones Ginesta on court five.
Maya Dutta was the first to put the Broncos on the board. Playing in the second spot, Chan was bested 7-6 (9-7), 6-2 by the Mountain West Freshman of the Year.
After falling 6-3 to Schaefer on court four, Martinache rallied to a dominant 6-1 win in the second set, but came up short 7-5 in the third. It’s the junior’s only loss against a conference opponent this season.
Safarova put Boise State out in front with a win in the top spot. Kabbaj took the second set 7-6 (7-1) after dropping the first 6-2, but couldn’t hold on to the momentum, falling 7-5 in the third.
Alogo tied things up once again, taking down Shah in a gritty three-set match by a score of 2-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4).
A spot in the championship match came down to the bottom court matchup between Vesa Gjinaj and Masa Viriant. Gjinaj came up short 7-5 in the first set, but secured a 6-4 win in the second before ultimately being tripped up 7-6 (7-2) in the tiebreaker.
San Diego State women’s tennis will hope to hear its name called in the NCAA Women’s Tennis Selection Show on Monday, April 28 at 2 p.m. PT, which can be streamed on NCAA.com.
Doubles
1. Jo-Yee Chan/Liisa Varul (SDSU) def. Maya Dutta/Zdena Safarova (BOI) 6-3
2. Yasmine Kabbaj/Ninon Martinache (SDSU) def. Lorelyz Marruffo/Ryan Kershner (BOI) 6-3
3. Bhakti Shah/Paula Schaefer (BOI) def. Gloria Alogo/Zoe Olmos (SDSU) 6-3
Singles
1. Zdena Safarova (BOI) def. Yasmine Kabbaj (SDSU) 6-2, 6-7 (1-7), 7-5
2. Maya Dutta (BOI) def. Jo-Yee Chan (SDSU) 7-6 (9-7), 6-2
3. Gloria Alogo (SDSU) def. Bhakti Shah (BOI) 2-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4)
4. Paula Schaefer (BOI) def. Ninon Martinache (SDSU) 6-3, 1-6, 7-5
5. Zoe Olmos (SDSU) def. Ari Briones Ginesta (BOI) 6-2, 6-1
6. Masa Viriant (BOI) def. Vesa Gjinaj (SDSU) 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7-2)
Order of Finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (5,2,4,1,3,6)