LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego sophomore Kelly Leung was a straight sets winner at first singles, but the host Tritons fell to visiting San Francisco by a 6-1 score on Thursday afternoon at Northview Tennis Courts.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: UC San Diego 1, San Francisco 6
Records: UC San Diego 6-10, San Francisco 5-5
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Playing together for the first time at No. 3 doubles, the UC San Diego tandem of sophomore Naomi Nguyen and senior captain Sophie Pearson made quick work of their opposition, winning 6-0. However, the Dons earned the doubles point following a 6-1 win at No. 2 and a 6-3 win at the first position.
 
San Francisco took a 3-0 lead in the match with victories on court four and court five. UC San Diego got on the scoreboard thanks to Leung's win at first singles. The first year Triton took the first set from San Francisco's Maria Martinez Vaquero, 6-4, and captured the second, 6-3.
 
The Dons closed out action with wins on courts two, six, and three. UC San Diego freshman Grace Gamal battled for three sets before falling to USF's Caragh Courtney, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, to conclude the match.
 
RESULTS
Doubles
1. Maria Martinez Vaquero/Simran Chhabra (USF) def. Ella Pachl/Kelly Leung (UCSD), 6-3
2. Hana Gamracy/Caragh Courtney (USF) def. Rachel Wagner/Katelyn Vu (UCSD), 6-1
3. Naomi Nguyen/Sophie Pearson (UCSD) def. Azaria Hayes/Qianer Qiu (USF), 6-0

Order of finish: 3, 2, 1
 
Singles
1. Kelly Leung (UCSD) def. Maria Martinez Vaquero (USF), 6-4, 6-3
2. Chiho Mushika (USF) def. Ella Pachl (UCSD), 7-6 (7), 6-2
3. Caragh Courtney (USF) def. Grace Gamal (UCSD), 6-3, 3-6, 6-2
4. Simran Chhabra (USF) def. Sophie Pearson (UCSD), 6-2, 6-4
5. Arianna Capogrosso (USF) def. Naomi Nguyen (UCSD), 6-3, 6-2
6. Alicia Yue (USF) def. Katelyn Vu (UCSD), 6-3, 7-6 (3)

Order of finish: 4, 5, 1, 2, 6, 3
 
QUOTABLE
"It's been a tough stretch and today we ran out of gas," said UC San Diego head coach Liz LaPlante. "I'm really proud of Kelly and her terrific win but we need to learn to fight through these challenges."
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• Sophomore Naomi Nguyen and senior captain Sophie Pearson paired together for the first time in doubles action.
• Sophomore Kelly Leung earned her second straight home singles win with a straight sets triumph on court one.
• Thursday marked the first meeting between the Dons and Tritons.

 
UP NEXT
After pausing for final exams, UC San Diego will travel west to take on Hawai'i Pacific March 31 at 1 p.m. PDT and the Tritons will visit Hawai'i in a Big West match on April 1 at 2 p.m. PDT.
 
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.