AUBURN, Ala. – Though they jumped out to an early 2-0 advantage, the No. 19 Sun Devil Women’s Tennis team (5-1) couldn’t quite bury No. 23 UCF (2-0), as they suffered their first loss of the 2023 campaign in a 4-2 defeat on Day 1 of the ITA Kickoff Weekend at the Yarbrough Tennis Center.
After Marianna Argyrokastriti’s singles win on Court 4 doubles the Sun Devils lead, the Knights responded by rattling off four consecutive singles matches to clinch the victory. Argyrokastriti, ranked the No. 84 player in the country, was responsible for the Sun Devils’ lone singles victory. Chelsea Fontenel, Sedona Gallagher and Patricija Spaka were locked in matches that went into a third and final set.
The Sun Devils got after it early with another strong showing in doubles play, lifted by wins on Courts 2 (Gallagher/Morlet) and 3 (Fontenel/Argyrokastriti). The Sun Devils have now won the doubles point in all six matches to begin the season.
The No. 9 ranked duo of Turkovic/Spaka were locked at 4-4 with UCF’s Mattel/Saidenova at the time of Fontenel/Argyrokastriti clinching the doubles point for the Sun Devils.
DOUBLES
- #9 Domenika Turkovic/Patricija Spaka (ASU) vs. Marie Mattel/Noel Saidenova (UCF), 4-4 (unfinished)
- Giulia Morlet/Sedona Gallagher (ASU) def. Jantje Tilbuerger/Jaleesa Leslie (UCF), 6-3
- Chelsea Fontenel/Marianna Argyrokastriti (ASU) def. Nandini Sharma/Sophia Biolay (UCF), 6-4
Order of finish: 2, 3, 1*
SINGLES
- #47 Marie Mattel (UCF) def. #69 Giulia Morlet (ASU), 6-2, 7-5
- Jantje Tilbuerger (UCF) def. #74 Domenika Turkovic (ASU), 6-2, 7-6 (7-2)
- Chelsea Fontenel (ASU) vs. Noel Saidenova (UCF), 7-5, 6-7 (2-7), 2-3 (unfinished)
- #84 Marianna Argyrokastriti (ASU) def. Jaleesa Leslie (UCF), 6-1, 6-3
- Sophia Biolay (UCF) def. #95 Sedona Gallagher (ASU), 0-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7-5)
- #110 Nandini Sharma (UCF) def. Patricija Spaka (ASU), 1-6, 6-3, 6-3
Order of finish: 4, 1, 2, 6, 5, 3*
UP NEXT
The Sun Devils will wrap up ITA Kickoff Weekend play tomorrow in a consolation match against UCSB (1-2), with a start time currently slated for 8 a.m. MST.
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