LAS VEGAS – No. 43 San Diego State women’s tennis captured a 4-2 victory against No. 69 UNLV on the road on Thursday. The Aztecs advance to 14-3 overall and 6-1 in conference play, tying the Rebels (13-3, 6-1 MW) for first place in the Mountain West standings.
UNLV got on the board first after earning the doubles point with wins on courts one and two. Liisa Varul and Gloria Alogo won their third court matchup 6-0 against Adi Bitton and Sofiia Sokolvak before No. 57 Jo-Yee Chan and Vessa Turley fell 6-1 to Hudson Hawkins and Nikol Mircheva on court one. Jayna Clemens and Ninon Martinache were tripped up 6-4 by Eszter Kis-Czako and Veronika Kliuch in the deciding match on the second court.
The Rebels extended their lead with a win on court two in singles competition, where Martinache retired her match against Mircheva when trailing 6-3, 3-0.
The Aztecs then rallied with four straight victories. Teja Tirunelveli first took down Sokolvak 6-4, 6-3 on the sixth court before Clemens defeated Kis-Czako 6-3, 6-1 in the fourth spot. Vesa Gjinaj downed Bitton 6-1, 6-2 in the junior’s seventh consecutive win. Alogo was the clincher for San Diego State, earning a 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 victory over Hawkins on court three.
Jo-Yee Chan was all tied up at 6-3, 2-6, 2-2 against Kliuch on the top court when the match was called.
The Aztecs return to action against Nevada at noon on Saturday.
Singles competition
1. Veronika Kliuch (UNLVWT) vs. Jo-Yee Chan (SDSU) 3-6, 6-2, 2-2, unfinished
2. Nikol Mircheva (UNLVWT) def. Ninon Martinache (SDSU) 6-3, 3-0, retired
3. Gloria Alogo (SDSU) def. Hudson Hawkins (UNLVWT) 7-6 (7-4), 6-2
4. Jayna Clemens (SDSU) def. Eszter Kis-Czako (UNLVWT) 6-3, 6-1
5. Vesa Gjinaj (SDSU) def. Adi Bitton (UNLVWT) 6-1, 6-2
6. Teja Tirunelveli (SDSU) def. Sofiia Sokolvak (UNLVWT) 6-4, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. Hudson Hawkins/Nikol Mircheva (UNLVWT) def. #57 Jo-Yee Chan/Vessa Turley (SDSU) 6-1
2. Eszter Kis-Czako/Veronika Kliuch (UNLVWT) def. Jayna Clemens/Ninon Martinache (SDSU) 6-4
3. Liisa Varul/Gloria Alogo (SDSU) def. Adi Bitton/Sofiia Sokolvak (UNLVWT) 6-0
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (2,6,4,5,3)