LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego won its second match in as many days, as the Tritons held off visiting UTRGV, 4-3, Thursday afternoon at Northview Tennis Courts. The Tritons earned the doubles point and split singles with the Vaqueros – enough to earn the win.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: UC San Diego 4, UTRGV 3
Records: UCSD 4-10, UTRGV 5-6
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
UC San Diego clinched the doubles point with wins at the first and third positions. For the second straight day, grad student Sophie Pearson and junior Naomi Nguyen were quick 6-1 winners at No. 3. On Thursday, they beat Valentina Urraco and Kristal Dule of the Vaqueros. UTRGV evened things with a 6-1 win by Yaiza Vazquez and Lea Karren on court two. The Tritons clinched the doubles point with a 6-4 win by sophomore Grace Gamal and senior Ella Pachl over UTRGV's Isabelle Bahr and Marjorie Souza.
 
In singles play, sophomore Cincy Chen got things started off right with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Urraco at No. 6. Moments later, freshman Polina Jorniak completed a 6-2, 6-1 win over Dule on court five. The Vaqueros battled back with a win at the first position before Gamal clinched the Triton victory with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 win over Karren at No. 2.
 
TENNIS MATCH RESULTS
UC San Diego vs. UTRGV
March 7, 2024 at La Jolla, Calif.
(Northview Tennis Courts)
 
UC San Diego 4, UTRGV 3
 
Singles competition
1. Marjorie Souza (UTRGV) def. Kelly Leung (UCSD), 2-6, 6-0, 6-2
2. Grace Gamal (UCSD) def. Lea Karren (UTRGV), 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
3. Isabelle Bahr (UTRGV) def. Sophie Pearson (UCSD), 6-4, 6-1
4. Katelyn Vu (UCSD) vs. Yaiza Vazquez (UTRGV) def. Katelyn Vu (UCSD), 2-6, 6-4, 6-3
5. Polina Jorniak (UCSD) def. Kristal Dule (UTRGV), 6-2, 6-1
6. Cincy Chen (UCSD) def. Valentina Urraco (UTRGV), 6-3, 6-0
 
Doubles competition
1. Grace Gamal/Ella Pachl (UCSD) def. Isabelle Bahr/Marjorie Souza (UTRGV), 6-4
2. Yaiza Vazquez/Lea Karren (UTRGV) def. Cincy Chen/Kelly Leung (UCSD), 6-1
3. Sophie Pearson/Naomi Nguyen (UCSD) def. Valentina Urraco/Kristal Dule (UTRGV), 6-1
 
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (6,5,1,2,3,4)
 
QUOTABLE
"It was a really tight, intense match and I'm glad that we came out on top," said UC San Diego head coach Sebastian Bader. "This may not have been our best match, but we stayed calm and competed, and found a way to win. Sometimes these wins are a big confidence boost."
 
"It was fun being out there with my team supporting me, and I'm happy we got the win," added sophomore Grace Gamal.
 
TRITON TIDBITS

• Polina Jorniak won singles for the second straight day: she was a winner at No. 6 Wednesday and on court five Thursday.
• With their victory at No. 3, the UC San Diego doubles tandem of Sophie Pearson and Naomi Nguyen improved to 9-3 this season. The pair has more doubles wins (16) than any duo in the program's Division I history.
• All four UC San Diego wins this season have come at home.
• The match was originally slated for a 1 p.m. first serve but was pushed back an hour due to heavy rain overnight.

 
UP NEXT
UC San Diego resumes Big West play on Saturday when the Tritons welcome UC Irvine to La Jolla. First serve is slated for Noon PST 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.