SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah women's tennis team started the 2026 season at UC Santa Barbara and narrowly fell 4-3.
The Gauchos swept the Utes in doubles play to take the point advantage going into singles play.
In singles play, Santa Barbara picked up the first win at the No. 2 spot.
Kaila Barksdale picked up the first win of the season for the Utes as she defeated Emma Tutoveanu 7-5, 6-4 at the No. 3 spot.
The Gauchos then picked up wins at the No. 6 and No. 1 spots to clinch the victory over the Utes. The rest of the matches played out however with two more Utes starting the season off with wins.
Emma Valletta earned a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win at the No. 5 spot defeating UCSB's Lily Pradkin. To finish the match off
Sara Akid finished with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over Raphaelle Leroux at the No. 4 spot.
Utah is now 0-1 overall on the season.
UP NEXT
The Utes will host Weber State and Idaho State Saturday, Jan. 24 in a double header in the George S. Eccles Tennis Center.
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FINAL RESULTS
Utah 3, UC Santa Barbara 4
Singles competition
1. Ekua Youri (UCSB-W) def.
Emma Kamper (UTAH) 3-6, 7-5, 6-3
2. Isabella Wong (UCSB-W) def.
Emmie Moore (UTAH) 6-4, 6-3
3.
Kaila Barksdale (UTAH) def. Emma Tutoveanu (UCSB-W) 7-5, 6-4
4.
Sara Akid (UTAH) def. Raphaelle Leroux (UCSB-W) 2-6, 6-3, 6-3
5.
Emma Valletta (UTAH) def. Lily Pradkin (UCSB-W) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
6. My-Anh Holmes (UCSB-W) def.
Hayley Roberts (UTAH) 3-6, 6-1, 6-2
Doubles competition
1.
Emma Kamper/
Emma Valletta (UTAH) def. Emma Tutoveanu/Lily Pradkin (UCSB-W) 6-3
2. Isabella Wong/My-Anh Holmes (UCSB-W) def.
Emmie Moore/
Sara Akid (UTAH) 6-2
3. Shachf Liebermann/Ekua Youri (UCSB-W) def.
Kamea Medora/
Hayley Roberts (UTAH) 6-0
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (2,3,6,1,5,4)