LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego wrapped up its third Division I season with an impressive 4-0 Big West victory over UC Riverside on Sunday afternoon at Northview Tennis Courts. The Tritons swept all three doubles positions and won three singles matches on the way to their 10th triumph of the season – four more wins than the team's first two Division I seasons combined.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: UC San Diego 4, UC Riverside 0
Records: UC San Diego 10-14, 2-7 Big West; UC Riverside 2-15, 0-9 BW
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
UC San Diego jumped out in front early by sweeping doubles play. The Tritons got a swift 6-1 win by Rachel Wagner and Katelyn Vu on court two and clinched the doubles point moments later when Kelly Leung and Ella Pachl completed their 6-0 win at the first position. With the doubles point already in hand, the Tritons completed the sweep with a 6-3 win by Sophie Pearson and Naomi Nguyen at No. 3.
 
Nguyen carried her strong play into singles action, topping Riverside's Niki Shahbazi, 7-5, 6-0 at No. 5, giving UC San Diego a 2-0 lead in the match. Leung made it 3-0 Tritons with a nifty 6-2, 6-1 win on court one over UCR's Kamya Nair.
 
The opportunity to clinch came down to fourth and sixth singles for the Tritons. On court four, Vu led 6-4, 6-5 over the Highlanders' Maya Youssef. However, it was the senior captain Wagner who sealed the win for the home team. Wagner was a 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 victor at No. 6 over Sydney Tran to end the season on a positive note.
 
TENNIS MATCH RESULTS
UC Riverside vs. UC San Diego
Apr 23, 2023 at La Jolla, Calif.
(Northview Tennis Courts)
 
UC San Diego 4, UC Riverside 0
 
Singles competition
1. Kelly Leung (UCSD) def. Kamya Nair (UCR), 6-2, 6-1
2. Ella Pachl (UCSD) vs. Sofia Lazzaroni (UCR), 6-7 (5), 3-2, unfinished
3. Grace Gamal (UCSD) vs. Brionna Nguyen (UCR), 5-7, 6-3, 3-1, unfinished
4. Katelyn Vu (UCSD) vs. Maya Youssef (UCR), 6-4, 6-5, unfinished
5. Naomi Nguyen (UCSD) def. Niki Shahbazi (UCR), 7-5, 6-0
6. Rachel Wagner (UCSD) def. Sydney Tran (UCR), 6-1, 3-6, 6-2
 
Doubles competition
1. Ella Pachl/Kelly Leung (UCSD) def. Kamya Nair/Maya Youssef (UCR), 6-0
2. Rachel Wagner/Katelyn Vu (UCSD) def. Sydney Tran/Brionna Nguyen (UCR), 6-1
3. Sophie Pearson/Naomi Nguyen (UCSD) def. Niki Shahbazi/Sofia Lazzaroni (UCR), 6-3
 
Match Notes:
 
UC Riverside 2-15, 0-9 Big West
UC San Diego 10-14, 2-7 Big West
Weather: 64 degrees, sunny skies
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (5,1,6)
 
QUOTABLE
"This group has come so far together, and I couldn't be prouder of the progress we made this season," said UC San Diego head coach Liz LaPlante. "Our six graduating seniors made such an impact on this program during our transition to Division I, and we will be forever grateful for their contributions."
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• The doubles tandem of Rachel Wagner and Katelyn Vu won their 14th match on Sunday.
• Following the match, UC San Diego thanked the program's six graduating team members: Anjni Agrawal, Tiara Nourishad, Devika Pantpratinidhi, Cara Puscasiu, Monica Stratakos, and Rachel Wagner.
• The Tritons are now 3-0 against the Highlanders since joining The Big West in 2020-21.
• UC San Diego concludes the 2023 spring season with a 7-6 record in La Jolla.

 
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.