SAN DIEGO – San Diego State women's tennis fell to UNLV at the Aztec Tennis Center on Friday afternoon, 4-2. The Aztecs dropped the doubles point, and then were narrowly beaten in singles play.
In doubles play, the Aztecs (12-6, 5-2 MW) battled with the Rebels (12-4, 5-2 MW) for the point, and it came down to the action on court three. After Alicia Melosch and Dariya Detkovskaya set the tone with a dominant 6-0 win on court one, UNLV battled back and evened doubles play on court two with a 6-2 win, forcing the match to come down to court three. On court three Rania Azziz and Cecile Morin battled for the doubles point, and in a marathon doubles match, forced a tiebreaker at 6-6. In that tiebreaker the teams went point for point, but the Aztecs came up short falling 11-9 in the tiebreaker, giving UNLV the doubles point and a 1-0 lead heading into singles play.
The Aztecs immediately responded in singles play. Andjela Skrobonja drew the Aztecs level on court one, when she took care of business in straight sets. The reigning Mountain West Player of the Week won in straight sets, winning her first set 6-3, before following that up with a 6-2 win in the second set to tie the match at 1-1. SDSU would then take the lead after Alicia Melosch won her match in straight sets as well on court four. The senior dominated her first set, winning 6-1, and followed that up with a 6-4 win in her second to give the Aztecs the lead.
Elsewhere the Aztecs were battling on the four remaining courts. Andreea Velcea went toe to toe with her opponent but fell in two sets, 6-4, 6-1, and the match was again tied, this time at 2-2. After that, Detkovskaya went back and forth in her match, but fell in a tightly contested match 7-5, 6-4 on court three, giving UNLV a 3-2 lead with two matches remaining. The final two matches went to a decisive third set both teams looked to find a winner. After winning the first set 6-4, Morin on court five dropped her second set 5-7, and then battled for each point in her final set but came up just short falling 3-6 in the final set, and UNLV took the match 4-2.
UNLV 4, No. 42 SDSU 2
Singles Competition
1. Andjela Skrobonja (SDSU) def. Molly Helgesson (UNLV), 6-3, 6-2.
2. Tamara Arnold (SDSU) vs. Zita Kovaacs (UNLV), 6-7, 6-2, 4-4, unfinished.
3. Salsa Aher (UNLV) def. Dariya Detkovskaya (SDSU), 7-5, 6-4.
4. Alicia Melosch (SDSU) def. Cindy Hu (UNLV), 6-1, 6-4.
5. Coco Zhao (UNLV) def. Cecile Morin (SDSU), 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.
6. Aura Fang (UNLV) def. Andreea Velcea (SDSU), 6-4, 6-1.
Doubles Competition
1. Melosch/Detkovskatya (SDSU) def. Aher/Helgesson (UNLV), 6-0
2. Hu/Zhao (UNLV) def. Arnold/Velcea (SDSU), 6-2
3. Fang/Kovacs (UNLV) def. Azziz/Morin (SDSU), 7-6 (9)