LOS ANGELES – San Diego State women's tennis fell in their opening match of the 2023 dual season to nationally ranked No. 14 USC, 6-1 on Saturday evening. Four Aztecs battled with four Trojans who were nationally ranked in singles play.
The Aztecs fought back-and-forth with the No. 14 Trojans throughout the doubles point, but came up just short. On court two the first-time pairing of Tamara Arnold and transfer Rania Azziz fell 6-0, and then transfers Dariya Detkovskaya and Andjela Skrobonja fell in their match 6-3, giving USC the doubles point. In the match that went unfinished Alicia Melosch and Andreea Velcea were tied 5-5 and were up 40-0 in the 11th game when their match went unfinished.
As for the singles point, all six Aztecs went toe-to-toe with their opponents throughout their matches. On court one Arnold fell in straight sets 6-2, 6-3 to No. 2 in the country Maddy Sieg, while over on court two Skrobonja scrapped it out with No. 24 nationally ranked Eryn Cateyano, but fell as well 6-2, 6-2. Detkovskaya earned her first win as an Aztec on court three, where she dispatched No. 17 Snow Han. She fell in the first set 4-6, before rallying to win the second set 6-4, and won the ensuing tiebreaker 12-10 to take the win for SDSU.
The three other Aztecs fought hard in their matches as well. Melosch went back-and-forth with No. 83 nationally, Emma Charney but came up short, falling 6-4, 6-2 on court four. Over on court five Velcea fell in her match 6-3, 6-3 and then Azziz also fell in her match on court six, 6-3, 6-6 and lost the tiebreaker.
Up Next: The Aztecs return home to San Diego to take on Alabama on Friday for their home-opener at 2 p.m. PT.