Aggies notch pair of wins, upset No. 74 Santa Clara
The USU women’s team posted two more wins Monday and Tuesday, including an upset over No. 74 Santa Clara University and a routine win over Weber State University.
USU 4, SCU 3
The Aggies made a come-from-behind win Monday against the nationally ranked Santa Clara Broncos for the upset of the season.
“I thought the team came out with really good energy. We have to go out there and play with belief,” head coach Chris Wright said. “They really took it to heart and went out there focused and came out with the win.”
USU lost the doubles point one match to two.
Junior Jaci West and freshman McKenzie Davis recorded the only doubles win over Katie Le and Jessica Agra in the No. 1 doubles position, winning 8-7.
Junior Kristina Voytsekovich and senior Romina Nedakovic lost 5-8 to Kelly Lamble and Kacie Wagner in the No. 2 doubles spot.
Junior Julie Tukuafu and freshman Kimberly Watts were defeated by Stephanie Skaras and Brittany Warly 4-8 in No. 3 doubles position to give the Broncos the point.
“The other team just came up with better plays,” Wright said. “It wasn’t necessarily us dropping off, it was them stepping up.”
Heading into singles action, the Aggies rallied for the win.
West fell in straight sets 4-6, 2-6 to No. 38 Le in the No. 1 singles position.
Davis fought a nearly three-hour marathon match to claim victory over Lamble in the No. 2 singles spot. After dropping the first set in a tie-breaker, Davis came back to take the second 6-4. The third set was a battle as the match headed into its second tie-breaker.
“Davis regrouped and let it go (after the second set),” Wright said. “In the third set it was kind of a dog fight. (Davis) had to hold serve to get into the breaker. She did a great job getting into that position.”
Davis came out on top in the tie breaker, but it took her 16 points to do so. Davis had to continue to dictate tempo to get the win, Wright said.
“(Davis) got down in the tie breaker, came back and traded match points, and I swear I was going to have a heart attack in that tie breaker,” Wright said. “I’m super proud of her. It was a great win.”
Davis won 6-7, 6-4, 7-6 (16-14).
Voytsekovich dismissed Wagner in the No. 3 singles position, winning 6-4, 6-2, and Nedakovic toppled Agra in the No. 4 singles position, shutting the Bronco out 6-3, 6-1.
Monica Abella lost to Skaras 4-6, 2-6 in the No. 5 singles position.
Tukuafu defeated Charloette Newel 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 in the No. 6 singles spot to give the Aggies the win.
“(Tukuafu) did a great job getting it done. I went to her and said it was up to her,” Wright said. “We told her this was it.”
USU 5, WSU 2
Utah State hit the courts for the fourth time in five days, defeating the Weber Wildcats 5-2.
“The girls are pretty banged up and are not 100 percent healthy,” Wright said. “I thought they did a good job, and we fought through.”
The Aggies won all three doubles matches and continued their momentum into singles action.
Davis, playing No. 1 singles for the first time, recorded her second loss of the season, losing to Brittiny Morre 6-1, 5-7, 4-6.
“(The match) took a lot out of her yesterday, mentally, physically and emotionally,” Wright said of Davis.
West defeated Ashley Tanner 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in the No. 2 singles position.
Voytsekovich dismissed Nittaya Phonharath 6-4, 6-0 at No. 3 singles position, and Nedakovic rolled through her match 6-4, 6-0 over Michelle Warwick at No. 4 singles.
Abella defeated Annika Karlsen 6-4, 6-3 in the No. 5 singles position and Tukuafu lost to Thai Kurer 2-6, 4-6.
“Even when we are this tired and beat up, we can still get things done,” Wright said. “I’m proud of them. They will enjoy a couple days of rest (and) get ready for the next couple matches that are big conference matches.”
USU improves to 6-6, while Weber falls 0-16. The USU women’s tennis team travels to Hawaii from April 5-7 for the conference matchups.
– mega.bodi@aggiemail.usu.edu