After splitting results earlier in the week against Youngstown State and Loyola Marymount, the Seton Hall women’s tennis team fell to the Utah State Aggies on Friday, 4-3, in Los Angeles, Calif.
The opponent was the third and final one for the team in Los Angeles, and the match came down to the wire, with the result decided on the No. 4 singles court between Seton Hall’s Michal Matson and Utah State’s Rhoda Tanui. Tanui captured the first set, 6-3, but Matson took the second, outlasting Tanui in tiebreaks to win, 7-6. Tanui, however, took the third set, 6-2, winning the match for Utah State.
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Photo via SHU Athletics[/caption]
Seton Hall had standout performers in its first, second, and third singles spots. Luize Strike and Anicka Fajnorova – competing in No. 1 and No. 2 singles – both defeated their respective opponents in three-set matches. Meanwhile, at No. 3 singles, Melody Taal defeated her opponent in two sets, with both ending 6-4.
The doubles portion of the competition was won by Utah State, giving the Aggies what ultimately became a critical point. The order went from third to first doubles, and Michal Matson and Katie Kim fell short to Utah State’s Sasha Pisareva and Hannah Jones in No. 3 doubles, 6-2.
Anicka Fajnorova and Thandy Kangwa were able to pick up a convincing win at the second spot, 6-3, but Strike and Taal lost a close match at first doubles by a score of 7-5.
The Aggies took important wins at fifth and sixth singles, with Seton Hall’s Katie Kim losing at No. 5 singles to Utah State’s Hannah Jones; 6-4, 6-2, while the Pirates’ Anniek Janson lost at No. 6 singles to the Aggies’ Sophia Haleas; 6-0, 6-2.
Seton Hall will next take on LIU Brooklyn on Saturday, March 24 at 1 p.m., with location still yet to be determined. This game will bridge the gap for the Pirates before their home stretch against Hofstra and Big East rival, DePaul.
Anthony Talarico can be reached at Anthony.talarico@student.shu.edu or on Twitter @ant_tal.
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