SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Embarking on its first road-trip since mid-February, the No. 72 Santa Clara women's tennis team fell to the University of San Diego in a tight 4-3 match. The Broncos take a short break from West Coast Conference competition Wednesday and travel to Irvine, Calif. take on UC Irvine on Mar. 26 at 11 a.m.
Santa Clara is 7-6 after its away loss to San Diego. The Broncos are 3-2 at home, 2-3 on the road and 2-1 on neutral surfaces. The team is 2-2 in the WCC after suffering its second loss against a league opponent this spring season.
The Broncos faced a challenging competitor in San Diego (6-8; 2-2 WCC), as the Toreros got on the board early by capturing the doubles point. The new partnership of Delphine Rouvillois and Nicolette Wolny could not edge Anna Depenau and Colomba DiFilippo of the Toreros and fell 8-2 on court two. At the No. 3 position, the senior duo of Stephanie Skaras and Elaine Chesoni put up a strong battle but were defeated 8-4 by Idil Haciraifoglu and Mikayla Morkel-Brink to clinch the doubles point for San Diego.
On the singles side, Santa Clara had to convert four out of the six individual matches to take the win for the day's events, but San Diego carried its energy from doubles into singles. The Toreros captured the necessary singles victories on courts 2, 5, and 6 to end the day in their favor.
No. 28 Katie Le put away her opponent quickly on court one to extend her winning streak to nine. The Bronco senior breezed through the first set 6-1 over Marta Stojanovic of the Toreros and then blanked Stojanovic in the second, 6-0. Le has not lost a match since Feb. 14 and has not dropped a set since Feb. 22. The Milpitas, Calif. native stands with a 10-1 record in her final dual season at Santa Clara.
Sophomore Chelby Cooke improved her winning streak to three in a row with a solid victory over the Toreros' Colomba DiFilippo, 6-3, 6-3. The Bakersfield, Calif. native proves to be a threat at the No. 3 position for the Broncos.
Santa Clara's third a final point came from the three-set victory of Stephanie Skaras. The senior from Australia displayed her stamina on court four taking the match from Mikayla Morkel-Brink, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.
The Broncos stay on the road this Wed., Mar. 26 and face UC Irvine at 11:00 a.m. at Anteater Tennis Stadium.
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San Diego 4, No. 72 Santa Clara 3
March 24 | Skip and Cindy Hogan Tennis Center | San Diego, Calif.
Singles | Order of finish: 1, 4, 3, 2, 5, 6
1) #28 Katie Le (SCU) def. Marta Stojanovic (USD) 6-1, 6-0
2) Anna Depenau (USD) def. Delphine Rouvillois (SCU) 7-5, 6-3
3) Chelby Cooke (SCU) def. Colomba DiFilippo (USD) 6-3, 6-3
4) Stephanie Skaras (SCU) def. Mikayla Morkel-Brink (USD) 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
5) Idil Haciraifoglu (USD) def. Nicolette Wolny (SCU) 6-2, 6-7(4), 6-0
6) Janine Koleta (USD) def. Elaine Chesoni (SCU) 3-6, 6-4, 6-4
Doubles | Order of finish: 2, 3
1) Shani Blecher/Stojanovic (USD) vs. Le/Cooke (SCU) 4-4 Unfinished
2) Depenau/DiFilippo (USD) def. Rouvillois/Wolny (SCU) 8-2
3) Haciraifoglu/Morkel-Brink (USD) def. Skaras/Chesoni (SCU) 8-4
GO BRONCOS!
