Women’s Tennis Falls to No. 49 Arizona
SALT LAKE CITY – The No. 53 Utah women's tennis team was defeated by the 49th ranked Arizona Wildcats on Friday. The match game down to No. 3 singles before the Utes was defeated 4-3.
"The team fought hard today," remarked head coach Ric Mortera. "We won an absolute battle of a doubles point, and it came down to a final 3-all match once again. Losing is never easy, but this is a group that will keep on working and keeps on competing. I never doubt that they are going to push their limits out there and do whatever they can to win. We look forward to our next opportunity Sunday."
Utah was able to take the doubles point with a win on courts one and three. Finishing first, Emily Dush and Madeline Lamoreaux battled it out with the Arizona team of Kayla Wilkins/Khim Iglupas. They were narrowly defeated 5-7. Following closely after, Linda Huang and Madison Tattini won in a 7-point tiebreaker, 7-6(5), against Wildcats Kirsten Prelle/Salma Ziouti.
In a remarkable match, Anastasia Goncharova and Lindsay Hung defeated their opponents in a tiebreaker after coming back from a three-game deficit, 7-6(5), clinching the doubles point for the Utes.
In singles, Dush was defeated by Wildcat, Wilkins, 2-6, 2-6. Goncharova lost to Arizona player, Iglupas, 4-6, 5-7. Tattini came away with her first set against Prelle, 6-1, but was defeated in the second and third, 0-6, 3-6, putting the Wildcats in front 3-2.
Trailing 3-2, Anya Lamoreaux dropped the first set to Belen Nevenhoven. Lamoreaux bounced back, winning the second set, 6-4. Going to a third set, Lamoreaux continued to dominate and won the third set 6-2, tying the match at 3-3.
In the last match of the day, Hung lost her first set, 4-6, but was able to make it up in the second, 6-4. She was defeated in her final set, 3-6.
No. 49 Arizona 4, No. 53 Utah 3
DOUBLES
1. Linda Huang/Madison Tattini (UT) def. Kirsten Prelle/Salma Ziouti (ARIZ), 7-6 (5)
2. Kayla Wilkins/Khim Iglupas (ARIZ) def. Emily Dush/Madeline Lamoreaux (UT), 7-5
3. Lindsay Hung/Anastasia Goncharova (UT) def. Belen Nevenhoven/Kayla Meraz (ARIZ), 7-6 (5)
Order of Finish: 2,1,3
SINGLES
1. Linda Huang (UT) def. Salma Ziouti (ARIZ), 7-6 (4), 7-5
2. Kayla Wilkins (ARIZ) def. Emily Dush (UT), 6-2, 6-2
3. Midori Castillo-Meza (ARIZ) def. Lindsay Hung (UT), 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
4. Khim Iglupas (ARIZ) def. Anastasia Goncharova (UT), 6-4, 7-5
5. Kirsten Prelle (ARIZ) def. Madison Tattini (UT), 1-6, 6-0, 6-3
5. Anya Lamoreaux (UT) def. Belen Nevenhoven (ARIZ), 2-6, 6-4, 6-2
Order of Finish: 2,4,5,1,6,3
UP NEXT
Utah takes on Arizona State on Sunday at 11 am MT at the George S. Eccles Tennis Center.
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