SAN DIEGO – San Diego State women's tennis closed out their three-game homestand to open the 2020 season falling 5-2 to the University of Alabama Friday, Jan. 31.
For the first time this season, all three Aztec duos fell in doubles action. On court one, junior Nnena Nadozie and sophomore Alicia Melosch dropped a close match to Alabama's No.51-ranked Moka Ita and Isabella Harvison, falling 7-6 (6). Freshman Julia Jordan and junior transfer Tamara Arnold suffered a 6-2 defeat by Sasha Gorchanyuk and Alba Cortina Pou while Alabama's Ann Selim and Ares Teixido captured a 6-4 decision over junior Abbie Mulbarger and senior Mia Smith.
In singles action, No. 113-ranked Naodize topped Harrison in two sets, 6-1, 6-3 to capture SDSU's first point of the day. The other victorious Aztec was freshman Jordan, who fought off a comeback from Gorchanyuk in the second set to take home a 6-2, 2-6, 6-1 win.
Arnold was unable to gain momentum after a close first set and fell to Ito 6-4, 6-0, in the first seed. Alabama's Salim topped sophomore Agustina Rimoldi Godoy in two sets, 6-2, 6-0, while the Crimson Tide's Teixido earned a 7-5, 6-3 decision over freshman Cécile Morin to seal the match for the visitors. Melosch grabbed her first set over Alabama's Cortina Pou but fell in the second set and the 10-point tiebreaker to ultimately suffer a 6-4, 1-6 (10-2) decision.
THE NOTE
History shows that setbacks don't keep the Aztecs down. In the last two seasons, after suffering their first loss of the season, SDSU came back to earn wins in their next two consecutive competitions.
UP NEXT
The Aztecs have a week break before traveling to Long Beach, Calif. for their first road match of the season against Long Beach State Saturday, Feb. 8. Play is set to begin at 1 p.m.
University of Alabama 5, San Diego State 2
Jan. 31, 2020
Aztec Tennis Center
Doubles Competition
1. Moka Ito/Isabella Harvison (UA) def. Nnena Nadozie/Alicia Melosch (SDSU) 7-6 (6)
2. Sasha Gorchanyuk/Alba Cortina Pou (UA) def. Julia Jordan/Tamara Arnold (SDSU) 6-2
3. Ann Selim/Ares Teixido (UA) def. Mia Smith/Abbie Mulbarger (SDSU) 6-4
Order of finish: 2, 3, 1
Singles Competition
1. Moka Ito (UA) def. Tamara Arnold (SDSU) 6-4, 6-0
2. Nnena Nadozie (SDSU) def. Isabella Harvison (UA) 6-1, 6-3
3. Alba Cortina Pou (UA) def. Alicia Melosch (SDSU) 4-6, 6-1, 10-2
4. Ares Teixido (UA) def. Cecile Morin (SDSU) 7-5, 6-3
5. Julia Jordan (SDSU) def. Sasha Gorchanyuk (UA) 6-2, 2-6, 6-1
6. Ann Selim (UA) def. Agustina Rimoldi (SDSU) 6-2, 6-0
Order of finish: 6, 2, 1, 4*, 3, 5
*match-clinching dual