SAN DIEGO – San Diego State cruised to a 4-1 win over Penn on Saturday afternoon at the Aztec Tennis Center. Bunyawi Thamchaiwat was huge for the Aztecs (7-4) in the win over Penn (8-5) on Saturday afternoon. She defeated the No. 96 ranked player nationally in singles play and helped take down the No. 41 ranked doubles team in doubles play.
"This was truly a team effort today," said head coach Peter Mattera. "Everyone played with good energy and confidence, especially in the big moments. The doubles point was huge in giving us notonly a 1-0 lead, but the momentum to start singles play on a high note. It was also good to get Bunyawi Thamchaiwat back in the singles lineup. She was rock solid today and helped set the tone for a very positive day for the Aztecs."
The Aztecs started the day with two doubles wins to take the doubles point over Penn. Thamchaiwat and Tamara Arnold earned the first win of doubles play for SDSU. They defeated the No. 41 ranked team in the country of Marija Curnic and Iuliia Bryzgalova, 6-4, to put the Aztecs in pole position to take the doubles point. Nnena Nadozie and Regina Pitts clinched the doubles point minutes later with a back-and-forth win, 7-5, on court two, giving the Aztecs a 1-0 lead heading to singles play.
Thamchaiwat earned her second win over a ranked opponent of the day for the Aztecs, this time in singles play. She dominated her match, only dropping two games in total. Thamchaiwat took the first set in dominant fashion, 6-0, and then earned the second point of the day for the Aztecs with a 6-2 set two win.
Penn earned their lone win of the day on court four. Gavriella Smith defeated Regina Pitts in a back-and-forth match 6-2, 6-3 to make it a 2-1 match in favor of the Aztecs.
Alicia Melosch earned the third point of the day for the Aztecs with another straight sets win on court five. She won the first set 6-4, before wrapping up her match with a 6-3 win in the second set, giving SDSU a 3-1 lead.
Arnold then clinched the match for the Aztecs at the No. 2 slot. She completed her perfect day with hard fought 6-4, 7-6(4) win on court two in her match and clinched the 4-1 win for SanDiego State.
Julia Jordan and Nadozie were also in action for the Aztecs in singles play. Nadozie won her first set 6-2, dropped the second set 4-6, and was tied 2-2 before Arnold clinched the match.Jordan also won her first set 6-3, but fell in the second 5-7, and then her match went unfinished as well when Arnold clinched the match.
Up Next
The Aztecs continue their home stand with a match against Dartmouth on March 23.
Women's Tennis: San Diego State 4, No. 63 Pennsylvania 1
Singles
1. Bunyawi Thamchaiwat (SDSU) def. No. 96 Iuliia Bryzgalova (Penn) – 6-0, 6-2
2. Tamara Arnold (SDSU) def. Sabine Rutlauka (Penn) – 6-4, 7-6(4)
3. Nnena Nadozie (SDSU) vs. Marija Curnic (Penn) – 6-2, 4-6, 2-2 - unfinished
4. Gavriella Smith (Penn) def. Regina Pitts (SDSU) – 6-2, 6-3
5. Alicia Melosch (SDSU) def. Eileen Wang (Penn) – 6-4, 6-3
6. Julia Jordan (SDSU) vs. Clarise Huang (Penn) 6-3, 5-7 - unfinished
Doubles
1. Bunyawi Thamchaiwat / Tamara Arnold (SDSU) def. No. 41 Marija Curnic / Iuliia Bryzgalova – 6-4
2. Nnena Nadozie / Regina Pitts (SDSU) def. Amanda Chan / Sabine Rutlauka – 7-5
3. Alicia Melosch / Cécile Morin (SDSU) vs. Eileen Wang / Gavriella Smith – 6-6 - unfinished
Order of Finish: Doubles (1, 2, 3); Singles (1, 4, 5, 2)
Team Records: San Diego State (7-4), Pennsylvania (8-5)