LAS VEGAS – Senior Bunyawi Thamchaiwat won her singles and doubles matches as San Diego State defeated Colorado State, 4-2, in a matchup of the two teams tied for second place in the Mountain West Conference entering play Sunday.
Following the victory played on the UNLV campus, San Diego State improves to 13-5 overall, 5-1 in league action. The Aztecs have won seven of their last eight matches and have not suffered a loss while fielding a full lineup in more than a month (March 7). With five conference wins this season, the Aztecs have matched their highest conference victory total since 2013.
Colorado State, which entered the day tied with SDSU for second place in the conference standings, fell to 10-7 and 4-2 in conference play.
"This was a really great win today against a very competitive Colorado State team," San Diego State head coach Peter Mattera said. "It was a really good college tennis match from start to finish. We came with really good energy in doubles and that point and the momentum that came with it was huge. There were some terrific singles matches and needed to play very well to get the three singles points."
San Diego State won the doubles point for the second time in as many days. At the top of the lineup, Thamchaiwat and Tamara Arnold, ranked 74th nationally, improved to 13-2 with a 6-1 victory over Somer Dalla Bona and Sarka Richterova.
The Aztecs clinched the point when Alicia Melosch and Cécile Morin made quick work of Lucia Natal and Tracy Guo, 6-2, on court number three.
Singles action was tightly contest on many courts, with three of the six matches splitting the first two sets. San Diego State posted victories in two of the three matches that were decided in straight sets.
At number one singles, Thamchaiwat, ranked 67th nationally, defeated Dalla Bona, 6-1, 6-2. The senior improved to 10-0 this calendar year but posted her first victory in a dual match since March 12. The win game the Aztecs a 2-0 advantage.
Colorado State got on the scoreboard at number two singles. Radka Buzkova handed Arnold a rare loss, defeating the Aztec senior, 6-1, 6-3. Arnold, who has posted 12 victories on the season, suffered just her second loss when playing in the second position.
The Aztecs stretched their advantage back to two points at number six, with Julia Jordan defeating Kotsyuba, 7-6 (7), 6-4. Jordan provided SDSU with its first victory at the number six singles position since Feb. 18.
The Rams cut the SDSU lead to 3-2 with a victory on court three. Richterova outlasted Nnena Nadozie, 3-6, 7-5, 6-1. The win snapped Nadozie's personal five-match win streak.
SDSU clinched the match when Regina Pitts, who along with Thamchaiwat missed the two matches last weekend due to injury, disposed of Natal in three sets, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
Up Next
San Diego State travels to Reno, Nev., to face both Silver State schools next week. On Friday, the Aztecs will face UNLV (13-4 overall; 3-2 Mountain West entering today), while on Saturday SDSU will play the host school Nevada (8-6 overall; 2-3 Mountain West entering today). Both matches are scheduled to being at 11 a.m. PT.
Women's Tennis: No. 70 San Diego State 4, Colorado State 2
Singles
1. No. 67 Bunyawi Thamchaiwat (SDSU) def. Somer Dalla Bona (CSU) – 6-1, 6-2
2. Radka Buzkova (CSU) def. Tamara Arnold (SDSU) – 6-1, 6-3
3. Sarka Richterova (CSU) def. Nnena Nadozie (SDSU) – 3-6, 7-5, 6-1
4. Regina Pitts (SDSU) def. Lucia Natal (CSU) – 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
5. Alicia Melosch (SDSU) vs. Matea Mihaljevic (CSU) – 6-7 (5), 6-3, unfinished
6. Julia Jordan (SDSU) def. Anastasiia Kotsyuba (CSU) – 7-6 (7), 6-4
Doubles
1. No. 74 Bunyawi Thamchaiwat / Tamara Arnold (SDSU) def. Somer Dalla Bona / Sarka Richterova (CSU) – 6-1
2. Nnena Nadozie / Regina Pitts (SDSU) vs. Matea Mihaljevic / Radka Buzkova (CSU) – 4-4 (unfinshed)
3. Alicia Melosch / Cécile Morin (SDSU) def. Lucia Natal / Tracy Guo (CSU) – 6-2
Order of Finish: Doubles (1, 3); Singles (1, 2, 6, 3, 4)
Team Records: San Diego State (13-5; 5-1 Mountain West), Colorado State (10-7; 4-2 Mountain West)