Posted: Mar 18, 2018
SAN JOSE, Calif. – Trailing 3-1, the Santa Clara women's tennis made a furious comeback to defeat crosstown rival San José State, 4-3, in a non-conference match on Sunday afternoon at The Spartan Tennis Complex.
The match came down to the third set of the singles match between Santa Clara's Elvena Gevargiz and San José State's Laura Malsert on court No. 4. After losing the first set, 5-7, the freshman from Las Vegas took the next two sets 7-6, 7-5 to clinch the win for the Broncos.
Gevargiz was put in the position to clinch the match after Zeina El Tawil and Maddie Pothoff won their singles matches to even the match at 3-3.
Down 3-1, El Tawil defeated Miyo Kobayashi 6-4, 6-3 on court No. 3 to close the Spartans lead to 3-2.
Pothoff followed with a three-set victory over Tamara Culibrk 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 to even the match at three apiece. For Pothoff, it was her ninth consecutive singles win, all but one coming from the second position.
Santa Clara (6-5, 1-0 WCC) began the day clinching the doubles point. Gevargiz teamed with fellow freshman Katya Tabachnik to defeat Kobayashi and Culibrk, 6-3, on court No. 2. The Broncos clinched it on Pothoff and Madison Clarke's 7-5 win over Sybille Gauvain and Savannah Sendar on court No. 1.
Pothoff and Clarke remain undefeated at 5-0 in doubles play on the season.
The Broncos have now won four matches in a row to improve to 6-5 on the season. San José State fell to 9-4.
Santa Clara will resume its West Coast Conference play next weekend traveling to face Pacific on Saturday at Noon PT before playing at Saint Mary's on Sunday at 11 a.m. PT.
