FULLERTON, Calif. – Host Cal State Fullerton topped visiting UC San Diego, 5-2, in women's tennis action Monday afternoon at Titan Courts. The home team won two of three doubles contests and four of six singles matches on the way to the win. The match was The Big West opener for Fullerton while the Tritons dropped to 1-2 in conference action.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: UC San Diego 2, Cal State Fullerton 5
Records: UC San Diego 5-5 (1-2 Big West), Cal State Fullerton 5-2 (1-0 Big West)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Cal State Fullerton took a 1-0 lead by winning the doubles point. The Titans got a 6-2 win at first doubles and a 6-3 win at No. 2 to take the point.
 
The Tritons' No. 3 tandem of Katelyn Vu and Rachel Wagner continued their impressive run. The duo improved to 7-2 on the season with a 6-3 victory on Monday.
 
In singles play, the home team took a 2-0 lead after a straight sets win at No. 5. UC San Diego got on the scoreboard when Vu earned a 6-0, 6-3 win over CSF's Megan Tagaloa at the sixth position. The Titans clinched the match with wins at No. 2 and No. 4.
 
Though the match had already been decided, sophomore Kelly Leung battled for an impressive win at No. 1. Leung won the first set over reigning Big West Player of the Week Zoe Olmos, 7-5, and dropped the second, 3-6. In the super tiebreaker Leung was able to grind out a 16-14 victory to end the day on a positive note for the Tritons.
 
RESULTS
Doubles
1. Natalie Duffy/Camila Garcia (CSF) def. Ella Pachl/Sophie Pearson (UCSD), 6-2
2. Kaytlin Taylor/Zoe Olmos (CSF) def. Kelly Leung/Naomi Nguyen (UCSD), 6-3
3. Rachel Wagner/Katelyn Vu (UCSD) def. Mariia Nikitash/Megan Tagaloa (CSF), 7-5

Order of finish: 1, 2, 3
 
Singles
1. Kelly Leung (UCSD) def. Zoe Olmos (CSF), 7-5, 3-6, 16-14
2. Natalie Duffy (CSF) def. Ella Pachl (UCSD), 6-3, 7-6 (5)
3. Camila Garcia (CSF) def. Grace Gamal (UCSD), 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
4. Mariia Nikitash (CSF) def. Sophie Pearson (UCSD), 6-4, 6-4
5. Kaytlin Taylor (CSF) def. Naomi Nguyen (UCSD), 6-1, 6-2
6. Katelyn Vu (UCSD) def. Megan Tagaloa (CSF), 6-0, 6-3

Order of finish: 5, 6, 2, 4, 3, 1
 
QUOTABLE
"Things didn't go our way today against a tough team," said UC San Diego head coach Liz LaPlante. "I'm so proud of the way Kelly played to take the super tiebreaker even though the match had already been decided."
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• Cal State Fullerton is now 3-0 against UC San Diego since the Tritons began their transition to Division I three seasons ago.
• Sophomore Kelly Leung picked up her third singles win this spring.
• Sophomore Katelyn Vu picked up her sixth singles win of the season on Monday, the most among the Tritons.

 
UP NEXT
UC San Diego returns to Big West action on Sunday when the Tritons host CSUN at Northview Tennis Courts. First serve is scheduled for Noon.
 
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.