TEMPE, Ariz. – UC San Diego began its third Division I season with a tough test, facing No. 19 Arizona State on the road. The Sun Devils won their second match of the day, dispatching the Tritons by a 7-0 score.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: No. 19 Arizona State 7, UC San Diego 0
Records: No. 19 Arizona State 2-0, UC San Diego 0-1
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Sun Devils took the doubles point thanks to victories in the second and third position. ASU's Chelsea Fontenel and Rachel Hanford were 6-0 winners at No. 3 and Sedona Gallagher and Giulia Morlet picked up a 6-1 win at the second position to give Arizona State a 1-0 lead in the match.  
 
In singles play, the home team won all six positions in straight sets to earn the shutout victory.
 
RESULTS
Doubles
1. Ella Pachl/Kelly Leung (UCSD) vs. Domenika Turkovic/Patricija Spaka (ASU), 2-4, dnf
2. Giulia Morlet/Sedona Gallagher (ASU) def. Grace Gamal/Sophie Pearson (UCSD), 6-1
3. Chelsea Fontenel/Rachel Hanford (ASU) def. Naomi Nguyen/Katelyn Vu (UCSD), 6-0

Order of finish: 3, 2
 
Singles
1. Giulia Morlet (ASU) def. Kelly Leung (UCSD), 6-2, 6-2
2. Domenika Turkovic (ASU) def. Ella Pachl (UCSD), 6-2, 6-1
3. Marianna Argyrokastriti (ASU) def. Grace Gamal (UCSD), 6-1, 6-1
4. Chelsea Fontenel (ASU) def. Naomi Nguyen (UCSD), 6-2, 6-1
5. Sedona Gallagher (ASU) def. Sophie Pearson (UCSD), 6-0, 6-1
6. Rachel Hanford (ASU) def. Katelyn Vu (UCSD), 6-3, 6-2

Order of finish: 5, 3, 2, 4, 6, 1
 
QUOTABLE
"Arizona State showed why they're one of the top teams in the nation," said UC San Diego head coach Liz LaPlante. "It was a good first effort from us, but I know we're capable of more. We'll get back to it tomorrow."
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• Two doubles pairs made their Triton debut as newcomer Kelly Leung was paired with junior Ella Pachl at No. 1 and freshman Grace Gamal joined senior captain Sophie Pearson at No. 2.
• The sophomore doubles tandem of Naomi Nguyen and Katelyn Vu played at third doubles. That duo won eight matches as freshmen in 2022.
• The match marked UC San Diego's first against a Top 20 foe since moving to Division I prior to the 2021 season.

 
UP NEXT
UC San Diego continues its opening three-match trip to Arizona on Sunday when the Tritons visit Grand Canyon (0-1). The 'Lopes also lost 7-0 at ASU Saturday.
 
Sunday's first serve from GCU Tennis Facility is now scheduled for 1 p.m. MT/Noon PST due to expected overnight rain in the Phoenix area.
 
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in Divisions I and II.