DALY CITY, Calif. – Academy of Art women's tennis got victories in the No. 1 position in both doubles and singles play from sophomore
Sofia Ragona, but it wasn't enough to win the match for ART U as they took on Division I opponent Nevada, falling by a final of 4-1.
"It was a very close match and the team's performance today was one of the best ones of the season even though we lost," said Head Coach
Clarisse Baca. "The team showed some great fight and spirit and it takes us closer to being ready for the conference tournament."
Coming off of a dominant 7-0 win over No. 25 UH Hilo
on Tuesday, the Urban Knights (2-4) couldn't keep up the momentum against the Wolf Pack (5-1), who entered this matchup having won their last two times out. Along with Ragona, sophomore
Yun "Nicole" Shiau claimed victory in their doubles match from the first position, easily bouncing the duo of Carla Del Barrio and Anastasia Luneva, 6-1. However, Nevada would take the other two doubles matches, ultimately starting the match with the 1-0 lead.
"Sofia and Nicole played amazingly as a team," Baca said. "They played a very tough team, but they were able to execute from the opening game."
The first singles match to conclude would be that of Ragona, as she would collect her second win of the day by dispatching of Luneva from the No. 1 position in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1. And while Shiau was leading her battle against Milka Genkova from the No. 2 position in a tie-breaking third set, the Wolf Pack earned the decisions on courts three, five and four to clinch the match 4-1.
"Sofia beat the number one player from a really tough Division I player so I think this is the best win Sofia has had," Baca said. "She made no mistakes so I think all the work that she has done in the last few years and during the Fall back home is paying off because that's the level at which she should be competing and winning."
Just two matches remain on the regular season schedule for ART U, with the next against Bay Area rival Dominican on April 10 beginning at 11 a.m.
