Aggie Women drop season series to Weber
Utah State women’s tennis finished its season series against Weber State University with a 4-3 loss Tuesday.
The win was the second in a row for the Wildcats over the Aggies, who are now owners of a three-game losing streak. Utah State claimed victory in the season’s first meeting between the two schools.
Due to an injury suffered by Bridgette Strickland, the Aggies’ lineup was shuffled in both singles and doubles play for the match. Strickland, slowed by leg and back injuries, was paired with Taylor Perry in No. 2 doubles, with Hailey Swenson stepping in to Strickland’s place in No. 1 doubles alongside Brianna Harris.
The changes in the line-up yielded little result as the Aggies were swept in doubles play for the second straight time against the Wildcats. All three doubles pairings ended by the same final score of 8-2 in favor of Weber State.
The singles match-ups for the day had a similar situation as doubles, with two Utah State players moving up one spot in singles play while Strickland was dropped from the No. 3 to the No. 5 singles slot. Britney Watts, playing in place of Strickland, was defeated by the Wildcats’ Ashley Schapper, 6-0, 7-5.
Perry, playing up one level to No. 4 singles, responded to the heightened challenge by winning her match in straight sets over Weber State’s Greyce Farias, 6-3, 6-1.
Despite the shuffling taking place with half the team, three Aggies played in their regular singles slots, with two logging straight-set victories over their opponents. Swenson cruised to a win over the Wildcat’s Inalise Pienaar, 6-1, 6-4, in No. 2 singles, while Marie Livingston defeated Alyssia Payne, 6-2, 6-4, in No. 6 singles.
Utah State’s Harris looked to be on her way to a win in No. 1 singles after winning her first set, 6-4, over Weber State’s Gabriela Venditto. But Venditto responded by winning the second and third sets by a score of 6-3 in each of the two to seal the comeback victory.
In the only other match of the day to go to a third set, the injured Strickland faced off with the Wildcat’s Keya Adamson. After Adamson took the first set by a score of 6-2, Strickland battled back to take the second set, 7-5, before Adamson rebounded to take the third set by a final of 6-4 to seal the victory for Weber State.
“Every time I planted my right foot my leg would give out,” Strickland said. “She could just get to more balls than I could.”
Strickland said her status for the remainder of the season is still in question. The Aggies will return to the court on Friday to take on the University of Northern Colorado. -matt.sonn@aggiemail.usu.edu