SDSU WOMEN'S TENNIS SWEEPS LONG BEACH STATE 4-0

Aztecs move to 4-2 to start the season

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo courtesy goaztecs.com

February 18, 2023 (Long Beach) - San Diego State women’s tennis earned a bounce-back win in a big way on Saturday afternoon, beating Long Beach State 4-0 at the Rhodes Tennis Center in Long Beach, California. 

The Aztecs (4-2) used the same doubles lineup for the third consecutive match, and it paid off for Peter Mattera’s squad. The No. 1 slot remained the same as Alicia Melosch and Rania Azziz teamed up, Dariya Detkovskaya and Tamara Arnold played together at the two spot, while Andjela Skrobonja and Andreea Velcea were partners for the third time this season at the three slot. The three teams all started off strongly and Melosch and Azziz were able to comfortably win their doubles match 6-2, putting the Aztecs in the driver’s seat for the doubles point. Detkovskaya and Arnold quickly followed suit to earn the Aztecs the doubles point with another 6-2 win on court two. The Aztecs were also ahead on court three 5-2 before the match went unfinished and the Aztecs took a 1-0 lead into singles play.

As for singles play, SDSU’s lineup had one change from Thursday’s group that faced Hawai’i, as Morin played at the No. 6 slot in the rotation in place of Velcea. 

In singles play, the Aztecs continued to dominate the pace of play and were rewarded early and often.  Melosch was the first Aztec to earn a win, as she took care of business on court four with a strong straight sets win, 7-6, 6-2 to put the Aztecs up 2-0. The other matches were more back-and-forth action as four of the remaining five matches either went to a third set or finished in three sets. On court one Skrobonja battled with LBSU’s Sarah Medik and fell in the first set 3-6. She recovered strongly to take care of business in the second and third sets and won both 6-2, giving the Aztecs a 3-0 advantage. Azziz completed the sweep for SDSU on court five. She started off strongly, earning a 6-2 win in the first set before losing the second set in a tiebreak 7-6. She responded swiftly with a dominating 6-2 win in the third set to finish off the Aztecs sweep 4-0.

Three other Aztecs were in action on Saturday. Arnold was in action on court two in singles play and lost her first set in a tiebreaker 6-7 and was trailing 4-3 in the second set, but it went unfinished due to results elsewhere. Additionally, Datkovaksta and Morin were in action for the Aztecs. Detkovskaya fell in her first set 4-6, won the second 6-4 and was winning in her final set 3-2 when play was stopped. Finally, Morin, who was in the singles lineup for the first time this season on Saturday, battled in each set, falling in the first 4-6 before earning a win in her second set 6-4 and was battling in her final set when play was stopped, due to the Aztec wins on other courts.

Up Next: The Aztecs begin the first of four matches against ranked opponents when they travel to the Berkeley, California on Friday, February 24 to take on No. 23 California. First serve is set for 1:30 p.m. at the Hellman Tennis Complex.

SDSU 4, LBSU 0

Singles Competition

Andjela Skrobonja (SDSU) def. Sarah Medik (LBSU) 3-6 6-2 6-2

Mathilde Tranberg (LBSU) vs. Tamara Arnold (SDSU), match was unfinished, 6-7, 4-3

Peppi Ramstedt (LBSU) vs. Dariya Detkovskaya (SDSU), match was unfinished, 6-4, 4-6, 2-3

Alicia Melosch (SDSU) def. Rhona Cook (LBSU), 7-6, 6-2

Rania Azziz (SDSU) def. Justine Dondonay (LBSU) 6-2, 6-7, 6-2

Sheena Masuda (LBSU) vs. Cecile Morin (SDSU), match was unfinished, 6-4, 4-6, 6-5

Doubles Competition

Alicia Melosch/Rania Azziz (SDSU) def. Sheena Masuda/Justine Dondonay (LBSU), 6-2

Tamara Arnold/Dariya Detkovskaya (SDSU) def. Peppi Ramstedt/Rhona Cook (LBSU), 6-2

Mathilde Tranberg/Doga Akyurek (LBSU) vs Andjela Skrobonja and Andreea Velcea (SDSU) 5-2, match was unfinished