March 29, 2011
SAN DIEGO - The 47th-ranked San Diego State women's tennis team opens its 12th Mountain West Conference campaign this Thursday when it takes on No. 68 Wyoming at Fertitta Tennis Complex in Las Vegas and on the campus of UNLV. First serve is slated for 10 a.m. PT.
The tilt with the Cowgirls will mark the first of three consecutive matches in three successive days for SDSU. Following its showdown with Wyoming, the Aztecs will face Colorado State on Friday before closing out the MWC opening weekend against Air Force. Both the UW and AFA matches are scheduled for 10 a.m. PT starts.
San Diego State takes its season-long five-match winning streak to Sin City looking to avenge last year's loss to the Cowgirls. In 2010, Wyoming visited Aztec Tennis Center and escaped with a 4-3 decision. The Cowgirls won the doubles point to start, but SDSU stormed back in singles to take a 3-2 lead. Wyoming tied the match at 3-3 and then pulled out a tough three-set victory at No. 3 to claim the overall win. Despite last season's loss, the Aztecs own an 11-1 series lead.
SDSU heads into its match with the Rams having never lost in 16 all-time matches. Last year in San Diego, the Aztecs lost the doubles point to trail 1-0 heading into singles. San Diego State, however, gathered itself and posted victories at all six positions to record the 6-1 win over Colorado State.
Much like its series with CSU, the Aztecs enter the Air Force contest undefeated in 12 all-time meetings. In the MWC regular-season finale, San Diego State welcomed the Falcons to Aztec Tennis Center and put up the necessary four points quickly to earn the victory. SDSU, in fact, registered the first five points of the match before Air Force won the remaining two matches, which ultimately gave the home squad the 5-2 decision.
Julia Wais and Alicia Aguilar head into this week's matches on quite a roll having won their last four singles decisions. Julia Trunk and Emma Cioffi, meanwhile, have each won in their last two outings.
In doubles, Trunk and Cioffi, who primarily play at No. 3, have won five straight, and 74th-ranked Aguilar/Wais won their last time out and have been victorious in three of their last four matches. Roxanne Ellison and Sierra Ellison, meanwhile, are ranked 51st in the latest ITA poll.
After the opening conference weekend, San Diego State steps out of league play to take on San Diego on Wednesday, April 6. The City Championship will be played at USD at 1:30 p.m. PT.