LAS VEGAS – Utilizing a brand-new singles lineup on Saturday, the Aztecs fell in their final regular season match of the 2023 dual season, 4-3 to Nevada at the Fertitta Tennis Center on the campus of UNLV. SDSU won the doubles point, but were edged out in singles play on Saturday.
The match started off with the Aztecs trotting out the same doubles lineup as yesterday, and it worked perfectly for SDSU. Alicia Melosch and Dariya Detkovskaya set the tone with a 6-3 win on court one, before Rania Azziz and Andjela Skrobonja earned the doubles point for the Aztecs on court two, with a 6-1 win, giving SDSU a 1-0 advantage heading to singles play.
As for singles play, the Aztecs were forced to use a new singles lineup due to missing three of their usual starters in Skrobonja, Detkovskaya and Rania Azziz. Replacing them in the lineup were Andreea Velcea at the four spot, Julia Jordan at the fifth spot, and Alexandria Von Tersch Pohrer made her spring debut on court six. Arnold, Melosch, and Morin were the three other Aztecs taking part in singles play on courts one through three respectfully.
Arnold pushed the Aztecs lead to 2-0 early on in singles play. She only dropped two games in the entire match, enroute to a 6-1, 6-1 win on court one for SDSU. The Wolf Pack clawed back a point over on court three, when Morin fell in three sets, 6-3, 1-6, 3-6 making it a 2-1 match with four matches remaining in Las Vegas. Jordan responded for the Aztecs on court five, winning in straight sets, to push the Aztecs lead to 3-1. After winning her first set 6-2, her second set was closer, but she earned the win with a 7-5 decision in set two.
The final three Aztecs were all taken to three sets in their matches. Over on court two Melosch battled with her opponent, falling in the first set 4-6, before instantly responding in the second set with a 6-4 win to force a decisive third set. In that final set she came up just short, falling 5-7 in a tiebreaker and Nevada closed the gap to 3-2 in the match. Over on court four, the same thing happened with Velcea. The transfer from FIU dropped her first set 4-6, rallied in the second to even the match with a 6-3 win, but fell in the final set 3-6, and the match was tied 3-3 overall with one match remaining.
That final match was on court six where Von Tersch Pohrer went point for point with her Nevada opponent. She dropped the first set 5-7, before mounting a comeback in the second set, taking it in a tiebreaker 7-6, forcing a third and final set with the match tied at 3-3. In that final set Nevada took it with a 6-0 win, and secured the overall win 4-3.
Up Next: San Diego State heads back to Las Vegas for the Mountain West tournament next week, looking to win their second consecutive Mountain West tournament crown.
Nevada 4, No. 45 San Diego State 3
Singles Competition
1. Tamara Arnold (SDSU) def. Luneva, Anastasia (NV1) 6-1, 6-1
2. Charrier, Amahee (NV1) def. Alicia Melosch (SDSU) 6-4, 4-6, 7-5
3. Guerbert, Lou-Anne (NV1) def. Cecile Morin (SDSU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-1
4. Campino, Mariana (NV1) def. Andreea Velcea (SDSU) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
5. Julia Jordan (SDSU) def. Boubaker, Wiem (NV1) 6-2, 7-5
6. Moutama, Audrey (NV1) def. A Von Tersch Pohrer (SDSU) 7-5, 6-7 (4-7), 6-0
Doubles Competition
1. Alicia Melosch/Dariya Detkovskaya (SDSU) def. Luneva, Anastasia/Moutama, Audrey (NV1) 6-3
2. Rania Azziz/Andjela Skrobonja (SDSU) def. Charrier, Amahee/Guerbert, Lou-Anne (NV1) 6-1
3. Campino, Mariana/Charalampidi, G. (NV1) vs. Tamara Arnold/Andreea Velcea (SDSU) 4-5, unfinished