PHOENIX – UC San Diego wrapped up its visit to Arizona on Tuesday, falling to the University of Arizona, 4-0, Tuesday morning at Grand Canyon's GCU Tennis Facility. The match marked the Wildcats' season opener. The Tritons fell to 0-3 with Tuesday's setback.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: Arizona 4, UC San Diego 0
Records: UA 1-0; UCSD 0-3
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Wildcats took the doubles point thanks to wins on courts one and three. On two, grad student Sophie Pearson and junior Naomi Nguyen trailed 5-3 when Arizona clinched the point.
 
In singles play, the Tritons shuffled their lineup due to injury. The Wildcats earned straight sets victories at Nos. 4, 6, and 3 to clinch the match. In order to facilitate UC San Diego's travel home, the match was abandoned.
 
TENNIS MATCH RESULTS
Arizona vs. UC San Diego
Jan 16, 2024 at Phoenix, Ariz.
(GCU Tennis Facility)
 
Arizona 4, UC San Diego 0
Singles competition
1. Martyna Ostrzygalo (UA) vs. Kelly Leung (UCSD), 6-2, 4-4, unfinished
2. Grace Gamal (UCSD) vs. Teja Tirunelveli (UA), 6-4, 4-4, unfinished
3. Kayla Wilkins (UA) def. Naomi Nguyen (UCSD), 6-3, 6-1
4. Midori Castillo-Meza (UA) def. Sophie Pearson (UCSD), 6-1, 6-0
5. Brandelyn Fulgenzi (UA) vs. Katelyn Vu (UCSD), 6-4, 5-3, unfinished
6. Tanvi Narendran (UA) def. Cincy Chen (UCSD), 6-2, 6-0
 
Doubles competition
1. Lauren Friedman/Brandelyn Fulgenzi (UA) def. Kelly Leung/Katelyn Vu (UCSD), 6-1
2. Teja Tirunelveli/Kayla Wilkins (UA) vs. Sophie Pearson/Naomi Nguyen (UCSD), 5-3, unfinished
3. Belen Nevenhoven/Midori Castillo-Meza (UA) def. Grace Gamal/Cincy Chen (UCSD), 6-4
 
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (4,6,3)
 
QUOTABLE
"Today was a tough result, but I was very impressed by the group who had the opportunity to compete today," said UC San Diego head coach Sebastian Bader. "The energy and the spirit they brought from the first point in doubles all the way to the last one was high, and it allowed us to keep most of the sets close. We must stay more disciplined in our point construction and learn to play the correct shot at all times to be able to win at a high level. Having said that, we bonded and we improved every day on this trip."
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• The Tritons rolled out two new doubles pairings Tuesday, with Kelly Leung and Katelyn Vu teaming up at No. 1 and Grace Gamal and Cincy Chen making their debut at third doubles. Sophie Pearson and Naomi Nguyen moved up to No. 2 after playing the first two matches in the third position.
• In singles, Cincy Chen saw her first action of the young season, playing at No. 6 for UC San Diego.

 
UP NEXT
UC San Diego wraps up its four-match road swing to open the season on Saturday, when the Tritons play at San Diego State. First serve is scheduled for Noon PST in San Diego.
 
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.