SAN DIEGO – San Diego State women's tennis returned home for its final conference dual match of the season where they were narrowly defeated by UNLV, 4-3. The Aztecs put up a tough fight and held on for nearly four hours before dropping the last match point.
In doubles action, UNLV got off to a swift as Connie Li and Samantha Li captured a 6-2 win over senior Jenny Moinard and Mia Smith in the second seed. The battle between ranked duos went down on court one, where No. 62 Aiwen Zhu and En-Pei Huang put together a 6-3 victory over 70th-ranked Nnena Nadozie and Alicia Melosch to clinch the first point of the day.
The Aztecs responded with a few solid wins in singles play, highlighted by freshman Shakhnoza Khatamova's impressive 6-2, 6-4 win over No. 81 Aiwen Zhu in the No. 1 seed. Sophomore Nnena Nadozie tallied her fourth straight singles win with a 6-4, 6-3 match over En-Pei Huang in the third seed.
On court six, sophomore Abbie Mulbarger came through with a 7-6 (7), 7-5 decision against Connie Li to improve the SDSU advantage to 3-1, but Moinard struggled to keep Izumi Asano at bay in the second seed and ultimately dropped the match 7-6 (5), 6-4.
In the No. 5 position, freshman Alicia Melosch drew her opponent out to a third set after dropping the first and winning the second, but UNLV's Jovana Kenic maintained an edge to finish the match 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, and tie the score. Senior Magda Aubets and opponent Anna Bogoslavets also went into a third set on court four, but Bogoslavets eventually captured the clinch with a 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 decision.
THE NOTE
With her singles win, sophomore Nnena Nadozie logs her fourth straight solo win for a team-high 13th singles victory this season (13-4 overall) and remains the sole Aztec with a perfect 4-0 record in conference singles matches.
THE NOTE II
Freshman Shakhnoza Khatamova earned her first win over a ranked opponent in her career with her 6-2, 6-4 finish against No. 81 Zhu.
THE NOTE III
Sophomore Abbie Mulbarger moved up to a team-high sixth straight singles win with her victory in the sixth seed today. She trails classmate Nadozie by one singles victory with a 12-4 record in dual play.
UP NEXT
San Diego State (12-8, 3-1 MW) hosts its second to last regular season match on Sunday, April 14, against CSUN. First serve against the Matadors is set for noon at the Aztec Tennis Center.
UNLV 4, San Diego State 3
April 13, 2019
Aztec Tennis Center
Doubles Competition
1. #62 Aiwen Zhu/En-Pei Huang (UNLV) def. #70 Nnena Nadozie/Alicia Melosch (SDSU) 6-3
2. Connie Li/Samantha Li (UNLV) def. Jenny Moinard/Mia Smith (SDSU) 6-2
3. Magda Aubets/Abbie Mulbarger (SDSU) vs. Izumi Asano/Anna Bogoslavets (UNLV) 5-5, unfinished
Order of finish: 2, 1
UNLV wins doubles point
Singles Competition
1. Shakhnoza Khatamova (SDSU) def. #81 Aiwen Zhu (UNLV) 6-2, 6-4
2. Izumi Asano (UNLV) def. Jenny Moinard (SDSU) 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
3. Nnena Nadozie (SDSU) def. En-Pei Huang (UNLV) 6-4, 6-3
4. Anna Bogoslavets (UNLV) def. Magda Aubets (SDSU) 5-7, 6-4, 6-2
5. Jovana Kenic (UNLV) def. Alicia Melosch (SDSU) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
6. Abbie Mulbarger (SDSU) def. Connie Li (UNLV) 7-6 (9-7), 7-5
Order of finish: 1, 3, 6, 2, 5, 4*
* Match clinching dual
Women’s Tennis faces narrow defeat by UNLV
