SAN DIEGO – For the second time this season, San Diego State senior women's tennis player Tamara Arnold has been named the Mountain West Conference Women's Tennis Player of the Week, the league announced today.
Arnold helped lead the Aztecs to a perfect 3-0 record last week with shutout victories over Dartmouth (4-0), Boise State (4-0) and Utah State (4-0). The senior won two doubles matches at number one and was a perfect 3-0 at the number two singles position to help account for five of SDSU's 12 points during the week.
"This is a great honor for Tammy, who is having a really solid season," San Diego State head coach Peter Mattera said. "It is a tribute not only to her, but it is a reflection of the high quality tennis that the entire team is playing. It is validation of the season we are having as a team to this point."
In singles play, Arnold was dominant, recording all three victories in straight sets and surrendering a total of eight games in six sets. Against the Big Green last Wednesday, she defeated Ashley Hess, 6-0, 6-1. In the conference opener on Saturday against the Broncos, she recorded a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Joana Bapitsta. The next day, she followed it up with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Lisa Küng of Utah State.
In doubles action, Arnold teamed up with Bunyawi Thamchaiwat to record victories at number one doubles in both Mountain West Conference matches. The pair, ranked 51st nationally, defeated Nicole Discenza and Baptista of Boise State, 6-2. On Sunday, the duo did not drop a game in a 6-0 victory against Sidnee Lavatai and Gabrielle Dekkers of Utah State. In both matches, the SDSU win at the top of the lineup helped secure the doubles point.
In the calendar year, Arnold has posted a 10-3 record in singles play, tied for the team lead in victories, and has won five consecutive matches. In doubles play, Arnold and Thamchaiwat have 11 wins this season to lead the team.
Arnold becomes the first player in the conference to receive the honor twice this season (also: Jan. 26). San Diego State student-athletes have won the honor three times this season (twice by Arnold and Regina Pitts on Feb. 16) and are the first team to accomplish that in 2022.
This is the 36th time in program history that a San Diego State student-athlete has earned this award.
San Diego State is 10-4 on the season, 2-0 in Mountain West Conference play and is currently in a four-way tie atop of the league standings. The Aztecs, winners of four straight matches, are in action this weekend in Fresno, Calif. SDSU will play San Jose State (3-8; 0-2 MW) in a neutral site match Saturday at 10 a.m. PT before taking on Fresno State (12-3; 2-0 MW) on Sunday at 2 p.m. PT.