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Feb. 23, 2013

Results

SALT LAKE CITY - The 38th-ranked University of Utah women's tennis team (3-2) captured a 5-2 victory in its home opener over Boise State. Junior Paige Miles clinched the match for Utah with a win at the No. 6 singles position over former Ute Sammie Watson.

"We did not do a good job of closing out the doubles so it became a much more challenging match because of that," said head coach Mat Iandolo. "I thought we did a good job of keeping control of five singles matches which was really important in order for us to get the win."

The Utes started the day strong with a doubles victory at the No. 3 position when juniors Sarah Pham and Callie Craig defeated Megan LaLone and Watson, 8-3.

The Broncos then answered with an 8-6 victory at the No. 2 spot as junior Elena Najera-Salas and sophomore Natasha Smith fell to Sandy Vo and Morgan Basil.

Teaming up at the No. 1 position, Utah's ninth-ranked duo of Miles and sophomore Tereza Bekerova then broke Boise State's Marlena and Manuela Pietzuck at 7-7, but were then broken to go down 8-7. The Broncos then closed out the match at 9-7 to clinch the doubles point.

Despite being down 1-0, Utah posted three straight singles victories to go up 3-1. Craig first bested Teal Vosburgh at the No. 3 slot, 6-1, 6-1, while No. 77 Bekerova then routed Vo, 6-4, 6-3 at the top spot. No. 103 Pham then topped Marlena Pietzuck, 6-4, 6-3, at the No. 2 spot.

Boise State then made the score 3-2 when Najera-Salas dropped a 6-2, 6-4 decision to Basil at the fourth slot. Then, with a strong forehand volley to win her match, Miles also clinched the match for Utah at 4-2.

With the match in hand for the Utes, Smith broke LaLone to win the second set 7-5, after dropping the first set 4-6, and force a tie break. Smith then fought back from a deficit in the tiebreak to take the third set 10-8, making the final score 5-2 in favor of the Utes.

The Utes return to the George S. Eccles Tennis Center Sunday to host their first double header of the season against New Mexico (2-2) at 11 a.m., followed by Idaho State (0-6) at 5 p.m.

Utah 5, Boise State 2
Doubles:
1. Bekerova/Miles lost to Pietzuck/Pietzuck, 8-6
2. Smith/Salas lost to Vo/Basil, 8-6
3. Craig/Pham defeated Watson/LaLone, 8-3
Order: 3, 2, 1
Singles:
1. Bekerova def. Vo, 6-4, 6-3
2. Pham def. Marlena Pietzuck, 6-4, 6-3
3. Craig def. Vasburgh, 6-1-6-1
4. Salas lost to Basil, 6-2, 6-4
5. Smith def. LaLoue, 4-6, 7-5, 10-8
6. Miles def. Watson, 7-6, 6-1
Order: 3, 1, 2, 4, 6, 5

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