LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego played its first match of the spring at Northview Tennis Courts Saturday morning, and the Tritons earned a 4-3 victory over visiting Pomona-Pitzer. The victory was the first for UC San Diego head coach Sebastian Bader.
 
Competing in NCAA Division III, the Sagehens are third in the preseason ITA rankings.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: UC San Diego 4, Pomona-Pitzer 3
Records: UCSD 1-4, Pomona-Pitzer 0-1
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
For the second consecutive match, UC San Diego took the doubles point with wins on courts three and two. On three, captain Sophie Pearson and junior Naomi Nguyen won 6-2. On two, junior Kelly Leung and freshman Polina Jorniak were also 6-2 winners to clinch the doubles point and give the Tritons a 1-0 lead in the match.
 
In singles play, Jorniak was a 6-1, 6-3 winner on court six to put the Tritons on top, 2-0. It wasn't long before junior Katelyn Vu won again. Playing at No. 5, Vu was victorious, 6-2, 6-2. UC San Diego clinched the win with a 6-3, 6-3 triumph by Leung at first singles.
 
TENNIS MATCH RESULTS
UC San Diego vs. Pomona-Pitzer
Feb 3, 2024 at La Jolla, Calif.
(Northview Tennis Courts)
 
UC San Diego 4, Pomona-Pitzer 3
 
Singles competition
1. Kelly Leung (UCSD) def. Lauren Rha (PP) , 6-3, 6-3
2. Angie Zhou (PP) def. Ella Pachl (UCSD), 6-3, 6-2
3. Nyakiriri Kanefu (PP) def. Naomi Nguyen (UCSD), 6-2, 7-6 (5)
4. Leticia Bazua Vazquez (PP) def. Sophie Pearson (UCSD), 6-4, 5-7, 10-6
5. Katelyn Vu (UCSD) def. Nina Ye (PP), 6-2, 6-2
6. Polina Jorniak (UCSD) def. Amelia Poor (PP), 6-1, 6-3
 
Doubles competition
1. Lauren Rha/Nina Ye (PP) def. Ella Pachl/Katelyn Vu (UCSD), 7-6 (3)
2. Kelly Leung/Polina Jorniak (UCSD) def. Angie Zhou/Nyakiriri Kanefu (PP), 6-2
3. Sophie Pearson/Naomi Nguyen (UCSD) def. Amelia Poor/Marissa Markey (PP), 6-2
 
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (6,5,2,1,3,4)
 
QUOTABLE
"Overall, we put forth a good team effort and it was nice to get the win today," said UC San Diego head coach Sebastian Bader. "Getting the doubles point was crucial against a tough, well-coached team. Across the lineup we had the right mindset of not taking anything for granted and earning every point, not letting our emotions get in the way of our game plan."
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• The doubles tandem of Sophie Pearson and Naomi Nguyen moved to 3-0 this season and 10-2 as a pair overall.
• The doubles victory was UC San Diego's second straight.
• The win was the first in the coaching career of first year head coach Sebastian Bader.
• With her straight-sets win at No. 5, Katelyn Vu earned her 17th career singles win – more than any other Triton in the program's Division I era.
• Playing singles for the first time at No. 6, freshman Polina Jorniak notched her first career singles triumph.

 
UP NEXT
UC San Diego returns to Northview Tennis Courts on Wednesday when the Tritons host local foe Point Loma. First serve is slated for 2 p.m.
 
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.