USU Women’s tennis team splits first two MW matches
The Utah State women’s tennis team opened its Mountain West season with a 5-2 loss to Wyoming on Friday and a 5-2 win over Colorado State on Sunday.
“We knew we couldn’t start off 0-2 in the Mountain West,” said Aggie head coach Sean McInerney. “After a really slow start in doubles, we were able to get it together and win 5-out-of-6 singles matches. It was a huge win for us, to get back to 1-1 and keep us within striking distance.”
Against Colorado State, Meghan Lyall clinched the match for the Aggies by defeating Maddie Buxton 2-6, 6-2, 6-2.
“I wasn’t really sure that I was the fourth point,” Lyall said. “I wasn’t really worried about winning to clinch the match — more just because I knew I should and I knew I could. I knew that it was important that everyone wins their singles match because we dropped the doubles point.”
McKenzie Davis finished her match first, sweeping CSU’s Natalie Heffron 6-3, 6-3 to pull USU into a 1-1 team tie. Lexi Turley won next in straight sets, 6-0, 6-4 giving the Aggies the advantage in the match.
“Coming off the doubles point loss, that’s usually a strong point for us, coming out in singles it was big to start and stay on top,” Turley said. “They’re such a mental team, it was important to stay on task the whole time.”
Laia Hernandez Soler provided CSU with its only singles win by defeating USU’s Maggie O’Meara 6-4, 2-6, 6-2.
Freshman Nini Guensler was the last player to finish in a marathon of a match. Guensler dropped the first set against Adriana Wojakowska 5-7 before coming back to take the second 7-5, after trailing 5-1. Because the match was already decided, Guensler and Wojakowska played a tie-break set to 10 to decide the winner. Guensler rode the comeback momentum and won the tie breaker 10-3.
“Nini coming back, it was really good to see,” Turley said. “She’s growing up and playing and learning how to dig deep and find those wins. It was a really big match for her to look at maybe being picked to be all conference.”
While playing Wyoming on Friday, Utah State lost the doubles point when Lexi Turley and Lyall fell 6-3 to Alma Espinosa and Christa Gecheva. The Cowboys clinched the doubles point when Dorattya Jonas and Silviya Zhelyazkova defeated Sabrina Demerath and Guensler 6-1.
Wyoming gained a 2-0 team lead by winning at the No. 4 singles spot, Jessica Parizher defeated Utah State freshman Maggie O’Meara 6-3, 6-2.
The Aggies came back to tie the match at two. First, Davis beat Magdalena Stencel in straight sets 6-4, 6-3 followed by a Guensler straight-set win 6-4, 6-3 over Nastya Tokareva.
Wyoming won the rest of the singles matches clinching the team win at the No. 5 spot. Zhelyazkova defeated Demerath in a three-set match 6-1, 2-6, 6-1.
“We had moments of playing really well. I thought Wyoming did a great job,” McInerney said after the Wyoming match. “They came in here, and they have a lot of players with a lot of experience. They kind of magnified our mistakes, and that’s what experience does for you.”
The Aggies continue their MW run Thursday by taking on No. 63 New Mexico and then on Saturday against Air Force, both matches are on the road.
“Both are going to be really tough matches,” Lyall said. “The doubles point is definitely going to be crucial again, four singles matches is almost impossible in this conference is nearly impossible. We got the win today, but going in to play New Mexico, we definitely need to refocus.”
— kalen.s.taylor@gmail.com
Twitter: @kalen_taylor