Aggies down Weber State
Utah State jumped out to an early lead against Weber State on Wednesday and held on to defeat the Wildcats 5-2. The Aggies improved to 2-2 on the season while the Wildcats fell to 2-8.
Utah State jumped on Weber State, sweeping doubles each by a score of 8-3 to take the point. Mckenzie Davis then exerted her force in the No. 1 singles spot, going up five games to none in the first set before her opponent forfeited due to injury. Jaci West, playing in the No. 2 spot, put Weber’s Kristi Elmer away in straight sets. With the pair of wins, Davis stayed perfect at 4-0 on the season and West improved to 3-1.
The Aggies cooled off a bit at the No. 3 position as Julie Tukuafu lost the match after winning the first set, while the same thing happened in the No. 5 spot with Kallie Sperry.
“Sometimes the lead can be a distraction,” co-head coach Bryan Marchant said. “For both Tukuafu and Sperry, they had a lead in their personal match by a set and the team overall had a large lead. The energy dropped off a little and Weber State kept fighting.”
Ultimately, senior Kristina Voytsekhovich clinched the match in the No. 4 singles spot. Voytsekhovich and her Weber State counterpart, Thais Kurer, battled back and forth in the first set until Voytsekhovich squeaked out a 7-5 win.
“My doubles match was slow so I continued to play like that in my singles, but towards the end of the first set I pumped myself up, listened to coach and played way more aggressive,” Voytsekhovich said.
She powered through the second set, winning 6-1.
Hillary Hays finished the day by putting down Weber State’s Carly Lloyd 6-0, 6-2.
Utah State has a tough road trip coming where they will take on Arizona State and Arizona back-to-back on March 1-2.
“We can play better and deserve to play well with the work they put in,” Marchant said. “This should fire them up for the trip to Arizona.”
Scores:
Singles:
1. McKenzie Davis(USU) def. Ashley Tanner (WSU) 5-0 Wd Inj
2. Jaci West (USU) def. Kristi Elmer (WSU) 6-3, 6-3
3. Nittaya Phonharatu (WSU) def. Julie Tukuafu (USU) 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
4. Kristina Voystekhovich (USU) def. Thais Kurer (WSU) 7-5, 6-1
5. Michelle Warwick (WSU) def. Kallie Sperry(USU) 3-6, 6-1, 10-6
6. Hillary Hays (USU) def. Carly Lloyd (WSU) 6-0, 6-2
Doubles:
1. Davis/West (USU) def. Kurer/Elmer (WSU) 8-3
2. Tukuafu/Voytsekhovich (USU) def. Tanner/Warwick (WSU) 8-3
(USU) def. Lloyd/Phonnarath (WSU) 8-3
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