LAS VEGAS – San Diego State women's tennis dropped a heartbreaker to Boise State in the Mountain West tournament quarterfinal, 4-3 at the Darling Tennis Complex in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Aztecs dropped the doubles point, and then narrowly fell in singles play, 4-3.
After dropping the doubles point, the Aztecs (14-8, 7-4 MW) looked to make a comeback in singles play. On court six Cecile Morin set the tone for the Aztecs earning a straight sets win to even the match at 1-1. The senior took care of business in set one, winning 6-1, before following that up with another 6-1 win in set two to take the match and tie the score overall.
Court five was the next to finish, where Rania Azziz fell in her match, and the Broncos took a 2-1 lead before Tamara Arnold tied the match again a few moments later. The fifth-year senior, and four-time MW all-conference singles selection earned another straight sets win for the Aztecs, prevailing 6-2, 6-2, to again tie the match at 2-2, with three matches remaining.
Dariya Detkovksaya battled on court three for the Aztecs, but came up just short, falling in her first set 6-1, and then narrowly dropping her second set 7-6, giving Boise State a 3-2 lead. Alicia Melosch then came up big again for the Aztecs on court four. The senior earned an opening set win 6-1, and then squeaked out a win in set two, 7-6 (9-7) to once again tie the match, this time at 3-3 with only the match on court one remaining.
With all of the other matches having finished, it came down to court one where Andjela Skrobonja, who earlier in the week had been named to the MW all-conference singles team in her first season at SDSU, battled for the final point. The junior took the first set, 6-3, but then fell 4-6 in the second set, as the Broncos No. 1 singles play, Pauline Ernstberger forced a decisive third set. In that final set, Skrobonja came up just short, and fell 2-6, and Boise State advanced to the semifinal round of the tournament, 4-3.
Up Next: San Diego State, who coming into the weekend was ranked 55th in the latest ITA poll now awaits its postseason fate, and will find out on Monday if they have made the NCAA Tournament.
No. 6 Boise State 4, No. 3 San Diego State 3
Doubles competition
1. Nicole Discenza/Lorelyz Marruffo (BSU) def. Alicia Melosch/Dariya Detkovskaya (SDSU) 6-1
2. Andjela Skrobonja/Rania Azziz (SDSU) vs. Holly Stewart/Joana Baptista (BSU) 5-4, unfinished
3. Pauline Ernstberger/Shauna Heffernan (BSU) def. Tamara Arnold/Andreea Velcea (SDSU) 6-3
Singles competition
1. Pauline Ernstberger (BSU) def. Andjela Skrobonja (SDSU) 3-6, 6-4, 6-2
2. Tamara Arnold (SDSU) def. Lorelyz Marruffo (BSU) 6-2, 6-2
3. Joana Baptista (BSU) def. Dariya Detkovskaya (SDSU) 6-1, 7-6 (7-0)
4. Alicia Melosch (SDSU) def. Shauna Heffernan (BSU) 6-2, 7-6 (9-7)
5. Nicole Discenza (BSU) def. Rania Azziz (SDSU) 6-3, 6-2
6. Cecile Morin (SDSU) def. Ana Conde Vendrell (BSU) 6-1, 6-1
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (6,5,2,3,4,1)