Box Score

SAN FRANCISCO -- Academy of Art women's tennis stepped onto the court for its first competitive action of 2023 with an exhibition match against NCAA Division I University of San Francisco on Thursday afternoon at the Bay Club SF Tennis.

"This match was a great indicator to see where we are and the gaps we need to continue to work on if we want to make it to Nationals," said Head Coach Clarisse Baca. "USF has one of the best teams they have had in prior years so it was good to compete at the highest level."

The doubles pair of sophomores Erica Hellbe and Julia Ortega had gained a 5-3 advantage over USF's Hana Gramracy and Azaria Hayes, but were left unfinished when the Dons captured wins on the first and second courts.

Singles play was highlighted by junior Viktoria Leth gaining two set points in her opening frame versus Azaria Hayes on the fourth court, but the matchup would end in ART U's defeat 7-6 (7-2), 6-2. In the third slot, Ortega rallied back from down a set and trailing 4-1 in the second to force a tiebreaker, but she could not overcome Caragh Courtney in the 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) final.

"Definitely it was tough to not have Jessica Plazas in the lineup, but our biggest goal for today was to get back into that competition mindset and I think achieved that," Baca said. "We just have to be consistently hungry for more and that definitely starts in practice."

Academy of Art will officially start its spring campaign on Feb. 5 against Sacramento State in Sacramento.