LA JOLLA, Calif. – Down two of its starters, UC San Diego fought valiantly but fell to No. 41 Utah, 7-0, Friday afternoon at Northview Tennis Courts. In a match much tighter than the final score indicated, the Tritons battled the Utes to the brink in doubles, and forced a decisive third set on courts three and five in singles play.
The setback was UC San Diego's fourth straight.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: No. 41 Utah 7, UC San Diego 0
Records: No. 41 Utah 8-3; UCSD 2-10
HOW IT HAPPENED
Utah earned the doubles point with wins at No. 1 and No. 3. After a 6-2 win on court one, the Utes clinched the doubles point with a 7-6 (3) tiebreak victory by Kaila Barksdale and Sara Akid over
Sophie Pearson and
Naomi Nguyen at the third position. Utah was clinging to a 6-5 lead at No. 2 when the Utes got the win on three to earn the point.
In singles action, Utah earned a victory with straight sets wins on courts four, six and one. On court five, freshman
Polina Jorniak dropped the the first set, 6-3, but rebounded to take the second set by a 6-2 score over Utah's Emma Kamper. With the match decided, Kamper won a super tiebreak 10-7. Playing at No. 3 for the first time, Triton captain
Sophie Pearson won the first set, 7-5, over Yuhan Liu. Liu was a 6-3 winner in set two, and then took the super tiebreak, 10-4, to close out action Friday.
TENNIS MATCH RESULTS
UC San Diego vs. No. 41 Utah
March 1, 2024 at La Jolla, Calif.
(Northview Tennis Courts)
No. 41 Utah 7, UC San Diego 0
Singles competition
1. Marcela Lopez (UTAH) def.
Ella Pachl (UCSD), 6-1, 7-5
2. Kaila Barksdale (UTAH) def.
Kelly Leung (UCSD), 7-5, 6-0
3. Yuhan Liu (UTAH) def.
Sophie Pearson (UCSD), 5-7, 6-3, 10-4
4. Kat Lyman (UTAH) def.
Naomi Nguyen (UCSD), 6-1, 6-0
5. Emma Kamper (UTAH) def.
Polina Jorniak (UCSD), 6-3, 2-6, 10-7
6. Sara Akid (UTAH) def.
Cincy Chen (UCSD), 6-2, 6-2
Doubles competition
1. Marcela Lopez/Ana Cruz (UTAH) def.
Polina Jorniak/
Ella Pachl (UCSD), 6-2
2. Samantha Horwood/Kat Lyman (UTAH) vs.
Cincy Chen/
Kelly Leung (UCSD), 6-5, unfinished
3. Kaila Barksdale/Sara Akid (UTAH) def.
Sophie Pearson/
Naomi Nguyen (UCSD), 7-6 (3)
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (4,6,1,2,5,3)
QUOTABLE
"Utah had to earn that win today. Against a top 50 team with two of our starters out, the goal was to play close sets and work our way into close matches," said UC San Diego head coach
Sebastian Bader. "We were able to do that on several courts, staying calmer and more composed in the tight moments. Even with two new teams, we had match point at No. 3 doubles. If we have this type of energy and spirit and focus on getting better each day going into next week, we will get rewarded with wins."
TRITON TIDBITS
UP NEXT
UC San Diego continues its seven-match homestand on Wednesday when the Tritons host Weber State. First serve is slated for 1 p.m. from Northview Tennis Courts. 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.
