Bulldogs outlast Nevada, 4-3, in MW opener

Saturday, April 7

Reno, Nev.

2 p.m. PT

Fresno State

Nevada

Photo by: Keith Kountz

Bulldogs outlast Nevada, 4-3, in MW opener

4/7/2018 8:42:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Box Score

Four of Fresno State's seven wins this season have come by one point.

By: Josh Mitchell / Assistant Director of Communications

RENO, Nev. – In a match that lasted over four hours, Fresno State prevailed 4-3 at Nevada as the two teams went the distance in the Bulldogs' Mountain West opener on Saturday at Lakeridge Tennis Club. Junior Olivia Noble clinched the match for the Bulldogs with a 6-4, 7-5 after winning the final three points of the match.

"Every conference match is going to be a battle and this one was just that," Fresno State head coach Ryan Stotland said. "Nevada was tough and took us to the wire, forcing the match to go four-and-a-half hours. We now have won 4-3 matches three times during the last two weeks with different players stepping up each time and I'm very proud of that. We have another road match against San Jose State next week and we look to continue our winning ways on the road."

For the second time in the last three matches, Fresno State was forced to play from behind after dropping the doubles point. Alessia Dario and Juliane Triebe grabbed the first doubles match for the 'Dogs, 6-1, at the No. 2 position, but the Bulldogs fell at the No. 1 position as Georgia Lawson and Emma Wilson were upset, 6-3, by Claudia Herrero and Blaga Delic. The Wolf Pack secured the doubles point by winning the match on Court 3, 6-4.

In singles play, Wilson leveled the match for the Bulldogs as she controlled the No. 1 match from start to finish against Herrero, the 2017 Mountain West Player of the Year. The junior won 12 of 15 points in the match (6-1, 6-2). Triebe put Fresno State ahead with a straight-set win of her own, topping Lili Fekete, 6-3, 6-4, at the No. 4 position. Melissa Huchet then tied the match at 2-2 with a 7-5, 6-1 win at No. 5 for the Wolf Pack.

Facing her second tiebreaker on Court 2, Katerina Stloukalova regained the lead for the 'Dogs. After dropping the second set on a tiebreaker to Adriana Gergelyova, the Bullldog sophomore fell behind 3-0 in the third set before rallying back to force a third-set tiebreaker which she won 7-4. The No. 3 match saw a pair of tiebreakers as well as Delic brought the dual to 3-3, besting Ndindi Ndunda in back-to-back tiebreakers to win the match.

After winning the first set at No. 6, Noble fell behind in the second set after the other five singles matches had finished. With the dual match in her hands, the junior won three straight points to claim the match and give the Bulldogs the 4-3 win. It was Fresno State's third straight 4-3 win.

Fresno State vs Nevada
Apr 07, 2018 at Reno, Nev.
(Lakeridge Tennis Club)

Fresno State 4, Nevada 3

Singles competition
1. Emma Wilson (FS) def. Claudia Herrero (NV) 6-1, 6-2
2. Katerina Stloukalova (FS) def. Adriana Gergelyova (NV) 6-3, 6-7(4), 7-6(4)
3. Blaga Delic (NV) def. Ndindi Ndunda (FS) 4-6, 7-6(2), 7-6(9)
4. Juliane Triebe (FS) def. Lili Fekete (NV) 6-3, 6-4
5. Melissa Huchet (NV) def. Georgia Lawson (FS) 7-5, 6-1
6. Olivia Noble (FS) def. Anastaysha Gorbacheva (NV) 6-4, 7-5

Doubles competition
1. Claudia Herrero/Blaga Delic (NV) def. #37 Georgia Lawson/Emma Wilson (FS) 6-3
2. Juliane Triebe/Alessia Dario (FS) def. Melissa Huchet/Lili Fekete (NV) 6-1
3. Anastaysha Gorbacheva/Adriana Gergelyova (NV) def. Olivia Noble/Katerina Stloukalova (FS) 6-4

Match Notes:
Fresno State 7-11 (1-0 MW)
Nevada 6-6 (0-1 MW)
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (1,4,5,2,3,6)

Next Up:
Fresno State will remain on the road next weekend, traveling to San Jose State on April 13.

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