BOISE, Idaho (April 27, 2018) – The Wyoming tennis team (12-7 overall, 3-2 MW) opened up the 2018 Mountain West tennis championship with a 4-1 win over the San Diego State Aztecs (10-13 overall, 1-4 MW) on Friday morning.
 
"I thought the whole match we played our style of tennis on every line, especially in doubles," head coach Dean Clower said. "We were resilient across the board and battled in every spot. We will use some receivers time tomorrow and be ready to bring it the Cowgirl way again tomorrow."   
 
In doubles action, it was a battle between the two teams. San Diego struck first with Berta Acero and Nnena Nadozie beating sophomore Ana Tkachenko and freshman Myiah Scott, 6-1. Senior Magdalena Stencel and sophomore Milka Genkova forced a tiebreaker against Jana Buth and Paola Diaz and would pull out a 7-6 (7-1) victory to even it up. It came down to the number one spot between juniors Elisa Koonik and Tessa van Der Ploeg against Jenny Moinard and Mia Smith. It went back and forth until the Aztecs took a slight lead. The Cowgirls hung in there and tied it up at six to also force a tiebreaker. The duo was solid and won the match, 7-6 (7-4).  
 
SDSU earned its first point of the day at the sixth spot in the singles line-up. Nadozie defeated Scott in straight sets, 6-1, 6-0. The Cowgirls would win the next three matches to help them seal the victory. Stencel beat Buth, 6-4, 6-3, followed by Koonik defeating Moinard, 6-1, 6-2. Tkachenko won the fourth point of the day with a 6-2, 6-3 victory against Abbie Mulbarger to notch the Cowgirl victory. Genkova was tied up one set a piece with Diaz and van Der Ploeg was down, 6-0, 5-2 against Aubets, but both matches weren't finished.
 
Wyoming will now move on to the semifinals and for the third year in a row take on the top-seeded UNLV Lady Rebels tomorrow afternoon. The match is set for 1 p.m. MT at the Appleton Tennis Center in Boise.  
 
Tennis Match Results
Wyoming Cowgirls vs San Diego State
Apr 27, 2018 at Boise, Idaho
(Appleton Tennis Center)
 
Wyoming Cowgirls 4, San Diego State 1
Singles competition
1. Magdalena Stencel (WY) def. Jana Buth (SDSU) 6-4, 6-3
2. Paola Diaz (SDSU) vs. Milka Genkova (WY) 3-6, 6-2, unfinished
3. Elisa Koonik (WY) def. Jenny Moinard (SDSU) 6-1, 6-2
4. Magda Aubets (SDSU) vs. Tessa van Der Ploeg (WY) 6-0, 5-2, unfinished
5. Ana Tkachenko (WY) def. Abbie Mulbarger (SDSU) 6-2, 6-3
6. Nnena Nadozie (SDSU) def. Myiah Scott (WY) 6-1, 6-0
 
Doubles competition
1. Elisa Koonik/Tessa van Der Ploeg (WY) def. Jenny Moinard/Mia Smith (SDSU) 7-6 (7-4)
2. Magdalena Stencel/Milka Genkova (WY) def. Jana Buth/Paola Diaz (SDSU) 7-6 (7-1)
3. Magda Aubets/Nnena Nadozie (SDSU) def. Ana Tkachenko/Myiah Scott (WY) 6-1
 
Match Notes:
Wyoming Cowgirls 11-7
San Diego State 10-12
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (6,1,3,5)