SALT LAKE CITY – The University of Utah women's tennis team recorded an upset over No. 33 Denver Sunday afternoon to cap off their undefeated weekend. The Utes posted a 4-2 victory over the Pioneers for their first win over a ranked team this season. With this win, the Utes are now 8-3 overall on the season and are 4-0 at the George S. Eccles Tennis Center.
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"I'm just so happy for the team," said first-year head coach
Ric Mortera. "Our student-athletes have been working so hard in the weeks prior to this match. I really believe that they deserved this win. They executed well and did everything that we have been talking about and working on. I'm just really proud of them."
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In doubles, Denver took an early advantage with a win on court No. 2 when the Pioneers topped
Madeline Lamoreaux and
Emily Dush, 6-3. Needing wins on the other two courts, the No. 16-ranked duo of
Whitney Hekking and
Madison Tattini knocked off Taylor Melville and Hada Chang at the No. 1 spot with a score of 6-3. Coming down to court three,
Anya Lamoreaux and
Lindsay Hung then secured the doubles point after battling against Tatum Burger and Toni Nelson to earn a 6-4 victory.
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Leading 1-0, Dush carded a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Tatum Burger on the No. 4 court to put the Utes up 2-0. Denver then recorded two victories at the No. 2 and No. 5 positions to even the match at 2-2.
Hekking put another point on the board for Utah with a three-set victory. in the No. 3 spot. After splitting sets, Hekking rolled to a 6-0 third-set victory over Britt Pursell to regain the Ute lead. Working toward completing the upset,
Anya Lamoreaux also battled it out in a third set and beat out Camille Verden-Anderson on the No. 6 court. Lamoreaux recorded a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory to defeat her opponent and clinch the upset against No. 33 Denver.
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The Utah women's tennis team will be back in action next week to continue play at the George S. Eccles Tennis Center with a rilvalry match. Utah hosts Brigham Young on Friday, Feb. 28 at 5 p.m. MT.
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Utah 4, #33 Denver 2
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Doubles (2,1,3)
#16 Hekking/Tattini def. (UU) Melville/Chang (DEN), 6-3
Reidmiller/Verden-Anderson (DEN) def. M. Lamoreaux/Dush (UU), 6-3
A. Lamoreaux/Hung (UU) def. Burger/Nelson (DEN), 6-4
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Singles (4,5,2,3,6)
Madison Tattini (UU) vs. #103 Taylor Melville (DEN), 6-4, 6-7, 3-0, unf.Â
Anna Reidmiller (DEN) def.
Madeline Lamoreaux (UU), 7-5, 6-2
Whitney Hekking (UU) def. Britt Pursell (DEN), 3-6, 7-5, 6-0
Emily Dush (UU) def. Tatum Burger (DEN), 6-4, 6-1
Hada Chang (DEN) def.
Lindsay Hung (UU), 6-0, 7-5
Anya Lamoreaux (UU) def. Camille Verden-Anderson (DEN), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
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