Box Score Box Score

LOGAN, Utah – Utah State's women's tennis team improved to 3-0 on the young season as the Aggies defeated UTEP 6-1 on Sunday at the Sports Academy & Racquet Club.
 
"We are playing really well," said USU head coach Sean McInerney. "We are excited that we are playing at this level this early in the season. We still have a lot of growth to do because we have a very young roster, but we are playing pretty disciplined and we are hanging in matches when things aren't perfect."
 
The Aggies captured the doubles point by winning at the Nos. 1 and 3 spots, respectively. Freshman Zara Ryan and sophomore Gabrielle Dekkers won the first match for Utah State at No. 3, defeating UTEP's Erandi Martinez and Thassane Abrahim 6-3.
 
"It was a great win for us," Ryan said. "We are 3-0 now, we are doing well and have some great momentum going for us. The team did really well. I am really proud of the team and we did a great job."
 
Sophomore Sidnee Lavatai and senior Hannah Jones secured the point for the Aggies when they beat the Miners' Kathleen Percegona and Maria Aveiga, 6-3, in the No. 1 spot. UTEP spoiled USU's bid for a doubles sweep as Eve Daniels and Lina Sachica teamed up for a 6-4 win over Aggie freshmen Carolina Millan and Renata Lombera in the No. 2 spot.
 
In singles play, Ryan was the first to clinch a win – just like the native of Dublin, Ireland did on Friday against Idaho State. Against the Miners, she captured a straight-sets victory (6-2, 6-2) over Percegona. In the No. 4 spot, Jones also won in straight sets (6-2, 6-2) for the Aggies.
 
Utah State secured the team victory when senior Lucy Octave captured a 6-3, 6-1 straight-sets win over Sachica in the No. 1 position. The only drama remaining was whether or not the Aggies would sweep the Miners, who ruined that bid.
 
In the most exciting singles match of the day, Daniels won a three-set thriller over Lombera, 6-3, 5-7, 12-10. In the third set's 10-point tiebreaker, Daniels was up 8-2, but Lombera fought back to within 8-7. Daniels won the next point before Lombera captured the next two to pull even at 9-apiece.
 
Unfortunately for Lombera, she couldn't keep the momentum going and Daniels scored two of the next three points to win the match and help the Miners avoid being swept.
 
"We are all fighters and we don't give anything away," Ryan said. "Even though we had already won the match at that stage, Renata still wanted to fight to get the win. We are a tough team."
 
The final two matches went the way of the Aggies sophomore Annaliese County beat UTEP's Elena Dibattista in straight sets (6-1, 6-3), while Millan also notched a straight-sets victory (6-1, 6-3) over Abrahim.
 
"Whenever you play a team after they just lost a match in the match before, it is always a little tougher," McInerney said. "To come out like we did in doubles and set the tone at the first and third doubles, then right away in singles starting very fast, that is what we have been talking about. We want to apply pressure and maintaining it, and we did a great job of staying focused with what we had to do and got the job done."
 
Utah State is back in action on Friday, Feb. 14, at 11 a.m., against in-state rival BYU (3-2), which has lost two straight matches.
 
Fans can follow USU's women's tennis team on Twitter @USUWomensTennis, on Facebook at /UtahStateWomensTennis or on Instagram at USUWomensTennis. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter, @USUAthletics, Facebook at /USUAthletics and on Instagram, @USUAthletics.
 
RESULTS
Doubles
1. LAVATAI, Sidnee/JONES, Hannah (USU) def. PERCEGONA, Kathleen/AVEIGA, Maria (UTEP) 6-3
2. DANIELS, Eve/SACHICA, Lina (UTEP) def. MILLAN, Carolina/LOMBERA, Renata (USU) 6-4
3. RYAN, Zara/DEKKERS, Gabrielle (USU) def. MARTINEZ, Erandi/ABRAHIM, Thassane (UTEP) 6-3

Singles
1. OCTAVE, Lucy (USU) def. SACHICA, Lina (UTEP) 6-3, 6-1
2. MARTINEZ, Erandi (UTEP) def. LOMBERA, Renata (USU) 6-3, 5-7, 12-10
3. RYAN, Zara (USU) def. PERCEGONA, Kathleen (UTEP) 6-2, 6-1
4. JONES, Hannah (USU) def. DANIES, Eve (UTEP) 6-2, 6-2
5. MILLAN, Carolina (USU) def. ABRAHIM, Thassane (UTEP) 6-1 6-3
6. COUNTY, Annaliese (USU) def. DIBATTISTA, Elena (UTEP) 6-1, 6-3

Match Notes
UTEP 1-4
Utah State 3-0
Order of finish: Doubles – 3, 1, 2 ; Singles – 3, 4, 1, 2, 6, 5
 
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