IRVINE, Calif. – Playing its second Big West match in as many days, UC San Diego downed UC Irvine, 4-3, Thursday afternoon at Anteater Tennis Stadium. The Tritons improved to 9-7 overall and 4-2 in Big West play – the most conference matches UC San Diego has won in Division I.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: UC San Diego 4, UC Irvine 3
Records: UC San Diego 9-7, 4-2 Big West; UC Irvine 7-7, 1-3 BW
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
For the second straight day, UC San Diego won the doubles point. Playing together at No. 3 for the second day in a row, senior Naomi Nguyen and freshman Allison Lian were 6-1 winners. After UCI won on court two, grad student Julia Haynes and senior Kelly Leung were 6-3 winners at first doubles to clinch the point for the Tritons.
 
In singles action, UC San Diego was a winner at No. 1, No. 3, and No. 4 to go up 4-0 and clinch the conference win. 57th-ranked Haynes was a quick 6-1, 6-1 winner at the top spot, and Lian was a 6-2, 6-2 winner at No. 3 for the Tritons. With UC San Diego up 3-0 in the match, junior Grace Gamal rebounded from dropping her first set to win, 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 and lift the Tritons to the victory.
 
The Anteaters then won on courts, six, five, and two to make the final score 4-3 in favor of UC San Diego.
 
TENNIS MATCH RESULTS
UC Irvine vs. UC San Diego
March 27, 2025 at Irvine, Calif.
(Anteater Tennis Stadium)
 
UC San Diego 4, UC Irvine 3
 
Singles competition
1. Julia Haynes (UCSD) def. Kayla Meraz (UCI), 6-1, 6-1
2. Carolyna Fowler (UCI) def, Kelly Leung (UCSD), 6-3, 0-6, 6-2
3. Allison Lian (UCSD) def. Amanda Perez (UCI), 6-2, 6-2
4. Grace Gamal (UCSD) def. Yen Nhi Huynh (UCI), 2-6, 6-2, 6-2
5. Haily Huynh (UCI) def. Adriana Tabares (UCSD), 6-3, 6-3
6. Maily Huynh (UCI) def. Katelyn Vu (UCSD), 7-6 (6), 6-3
 
Doubles competition
1. Julia Haynes/Kelly Leung (UCSD) def. Kayla Meraz/Haily Huynh (UCI), 6-3
2. Carolyna Fowler/Yen Nhi Huynh (UCI) def. Adriana Tabares/Katelyn Vu (UCSD), 6-1
3. Allison Lian/Naomi Nguyen (UCSD) def. Asha Gidwani/Nour Khayat (UCI), 6-1
 
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (1,3,4,6,5,2)
 
QUOTABLE with Julia Haynes

 
TRITON TIDBITS

• UC San Diego has won four Big West matches for the first time since moving to Division I.
• The Tritons and Anteaters have competed in tight matches – 4-3 scores – in each of the last three seasons, with UC San Diego coming out on top in each of the last two seasons.
• Ranked 57th nationally, UC San Diego captain Julia Haynes improved to 13-2 in singles action this spring – all from the first position.
• Senior Naomi Nguyen won her 38th doubles match as a Triton – more than anyone else in the program's Division I era.

 
UP NEXT
The Tritons play a pair of Big West matches on the road next weekend. First up, UC San Diego visits No. 51 Cal Poly on Friday, April 4 at 1 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 24-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.