SCHEDULE
Friday, March 9
Nevada at #70 San Diego, 10:30 a.m. PT
Montana State at #52 Hawai’i, 1:30 p.m. HT
Saturday, March 10
Montana at Utah State, 9:00 a.m.
*Fresno State at New Mexico State, 11:00 p.m. MT
#21 Texas Tech at #52 Hawai’i, 11:00 a.m. HT
Nevada vs. #71 Sacramento State (San Diego, Calif.), TBA
Pacific at San Jose State, 1:00 p.m. PT
Sunday, March 11
Southern Utah at San Jose State, 11:00 a.m. PT
* WAC matchup
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK (Feb. 27-March 4)
Idaho’s Victoria Lozano has been named Verizon Western Athletic Conference Women’s Tennis Athletes of the Week for Feb. 27-March 4.
Lozano, a sophomore from Guadalajara, Mexico, went undefeated last week, going 3-0 in both singles and doubles matches. In No. 1 singles play, Lozano earned straight-sets victories over opponents from UTEP, New Mexico and New Mexico State, as the Vandals went 2-1 on the week. Along with partner Almudena Sanz, Lozano also grabbed a No. 1 doubles win in each dual, winning all three matches by at least 3 games.
Other women’s nominees included: Fresno State junior Melissa McQueen … Hawai’i freshman Martina Kostalova … Nevada junior Sophie Stevens … New Mexico State senior Natalia Salum … Utah State junior Jaci West.
TEAM RECAPS
FRESNO STATE
Fresno State picked up three upset wins last weekend. The Bulldogs beat No. 50 Georgia State last Friday, 4-3, and defeated both No. 69 Cal State Northridge, 6-1, and No. 51 Santa Clara, 4-3, on Sunday. The ‘Dogs did not lose a doubles match on the weekend. Sophomore Tonya Murtagh went undefeated on the weekend at the No. 6 singles position.
This week, Fresno State travels to New Mexico State on Saturday for a WAC dual.
HAWAI’I
No. 52 Hawai’i went 2-1 last week, securing a 7-0 win over Eastern Michigan and a 5-1 victory over Iowa State. The Rainbow Wahine’s lone loss came to No. 14 Michigan, 4-1. Freshman Martina Kostalova was the only UH player to go undefeated this week, going 3-0 in singles-- including a straight set win over No. 75 Sam Crister of the No. 14 ranked Michigan Wolverines.
This week, Hawai’i hosts Montana State on Friday and Texas Tech on Saturday.
IDAHO
Idaho went 2-1 last week, scoring wins over UTEP (4-3) and New Mexico (5-2), before falling to WAC foe New Mexico State (4-3). Sophomore Vicky Lozano went a perfect 6-0 in singles and doubles on the week, all at the No. 1 spot.
This week, the Vandals are off. UI returns to action March 16 against Houston.
LOUISIANA TECH
Last week, Louisiana Tech went 2-1, falling to San Jose State, 6-1, in a conference match, and earning a pair of 6-1 victories over Southern Miss and UALR. With three wins on the weekend, junior Alena Erofeyeva improved to 10-0 this season in dual matches.
This week, LA Tech is off. The Lady Techsters return to action on March 17 against Xavier (La.).
NEVADA
Nevada went 1-1 last weekend in Las Vegas, Nev., falling to No. 64 UNLV, 7-0, on Friday and defeating Northern Arizona, 6-1, on Sunday. Junior Sophie Stevens won two matches on the weekend, including a doubles victory, with teammate Gabriella Eufrasio, against UNLV, which was the only victory on the day for Nevada.
This week, the Wolf Pack travel to San Diego, Calif., for two matches. Nevada will face No. 70 San Diego on Friday and No. 71 Sacramento State on Saturday.
NEW MEXICO STATE
New Mexico State defeated Idaho, 4-3, last Sunday, earning its first conference win of the season. The Aggies other scheduled dual, against New Mexico, was postponed. Senior co-captain Natalia Salum trailed Sophie Vickers of Idaho 6-2, 4-1 before charging back to win 12 of the 15 games, to win at No. 4 singles by a score of 2-6, 7-5, 6-2. Salum remains undefeated in singles this year with eight straight wins.
This week, New Mexico State travels to face Fresno State on Saturday in a WAC dual.
SAN JOSE STATE
San Jose State defeated WAC foe Louisiana Tech, 6-1, last Friday. A scheduled dual against Grambling was cancelled.
This week, the Spartans host Pacific on Saturday and Southern Utah on Sunday.
UTAH STATE
Utah State defeated Seattle, 6-1, last Saturday, in its only action of the week. Jaci West held her spot in the No. 1 position, leading the Aggies to a 6-1 win over Seattle, on Saturday. In singles action, she defeated Alexandra Farrar in two sets, 6-1, 6-3. In doubles action, with partner McKenzie Davis, she won 8-0 over Katrina Schwab and Corinne Wurden.
This week, USU will host Montana on Saturday.