LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego wrapped up its stretch of three matches over five days with a convincing 6-1 victory over visiting Point Loma Wednesday afternoon at Northview Tennis Courts. The Tritons swept doubles action and won five of six singles courts on the way to their second home win of the season.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: UC San Diego 6, Point Loma 1
Records: UCSD 2-6, Point Loma 1-1
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Tritons took a 1-0 lead in the match, sweeping doubles play. Juniors Kelly Leung and Katelyn Vu won 6-4 on court one, and grad student Sophie Pearson and junior Naomi Nguyen were also 6-4 victors at No. 2 to give UC San Diego an early lead. The Tritons made it a clean sweep of doubles action with a 7-6 (5) win by sophomore Grace Gamal and freshman Polina Jorniak on court three.
 
In singles play, Gamal was a straight-sets 6-3, 6-1 winner on court two. The Sea Lions earned a point with a 6-2, 6-2 win on court three. With the Tritons up 2-1 in the match, sophomore Cincy Chen completed her 6-2, 6-3 win on No. 6 and Vu put this match in the win column with her 6-3, 7-5 win on court four. Pearson was a 7-5, 7-6 (1) winner on No. 5 and Leung closed out the victory with a hard-earned 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4) win at No. 1.
 
TENNIS MATCH RESULTS
UC San Diego vs. Point Loma
Feb 14, 2024 at La Jolla, Calif.
(Northview Tennis Courts)
 
UC San Diego 6, Point Loma 1
 
Singles competition
1. Kelly Leung (UCSD) def. Thelma Sepulveda (PLNU), 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4)
2. Grace Gamal (UCSD) def. Amanda Letzring (PLNU), 6-3, 6-1
3. Arianna Audelo (PLNU) def. Naomi Nguyen (UCSD), 6-2, 6-2
4. Katelyn Vu (UCSD) def. Quin Brady (PLNU), 6-3, 7-5
5. Sophie Pearson (UCSD) def. Anna Pallencaoe (PLNU), 7-5, 7-6 (1)
6. Cincy Chen (UCSD) def. Emely Valencia (PLNU), 6-2, 6-3
 
Doubles competition
1. Kelly Leung/Katelyn Vu (UCSD) def. Thelma Sepulveda/ Arianna Audelo (PLNU), 6-4
2. Sophie Pearson/Naomi Nguyen (UCSD) def. Quin Brady/Amanda Letzring (PLNU), 6-4
3. Grace Gamal/Polina Jorniak (UCSD) def. Anna Pallencaoe/Emely Valencia (PLNU), 7-6 (5)
 
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (2,3,6,4,5,1)
 
QUOTABLE
"This was a nice bounce-back for us," said UC San Diego head coach Sebastian Bader. "Competing in our third match of the week, we could have shown fatigue, but our energy was up, and we played well for periods on each court. There's a lot to build on here as we head back into Big West play [Saturday].
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• With their win at No. 2, UC San Diego's doubles tandem of Sophie Pearson and Naomi Nguyen moved to 5-0 this season and 12-2 as a pair overall.
• Playing in her second career singles match, Cincy Chen earned her first collegiate victory with a sweep on six.
• UC San Diego improved to 2-1 at home this season.

 
UP NEXT
UC San Diego begins Big West play on Monday at Northview Tennis Courts when the Tritons host Hawai'i. First serve is slated for 1 p.m. from La Jolla. Admission is free, but parking permits are required.
 
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.