SAN DIEGO – San Diego State women’s tennis officially got its fall schedule underway on Thursday at the opening day of the USTA SoCal Intercollegiate Championships, hosted by the University of San Diego. With all eight players competing, the Aztecs combined for four wins on the day.

Competition kicked off on Thursday morning with doubles play, where the Aztecs secured one victory. Senior Ninon Martinache paired up with freshman Vessa Turley in a 6-4 win over Grand Canyon’s Peyton Duckett and Hams Metwali. They will join Jo-Yee Chan and Liisa Varul, who earned a first-round bye, in Friday’s round of 16.

Gloria Alogo and Vesa Gjinaj took on Madison and Chloe Schwarz of Cal State Fullerton, but came up short 6-2. Jayna Clemens competed alongside fellow junior transfer Teja Tirunelveli, but the Aztecs were bested 6-1 by Tulane’s Summer Chandler and Micah Pierce.

Gjinaj, Tirunelveli and Turley represented San Diego State in the singles round of 64, as the remaining five Aztecs received a first-round bye. Tirunelveli battled against Nevada’s Silvia Maria Costache, but ultimately fell in three sets, 6-4, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4. Turley was bested 6-0 in her first set against USD’s Kristina Nordikyan. The true freshman fought hard to a tiebreaker in the second set, but ultimately came up short 7-6 (7-4). In a matchup against Petra Janigova of Nevada, Gjinaj fell 6-2, 6-4.

Martinache, Varul, Chan, Alogo and Clemens automatically advanced to Thursday afternoon’s round of 32, where they picked up three wins. Varul defeated Nevada’s Wiem Boubaker 6-4, 6-3, while Alogo took down Daniela Borruel of USC in a 7-5, 6-2 victory and Chan earned a 6-4, 6-3 win over USD’s Maria Shmakova.

Martinache fell in her round of 32 matchup, defeated 7-5, 6-4 by USD’s Anna Linn Moll. Clemens also came up short 6-4, 6-1 to Kennedy Robinson of Nevada.

The Aztecs will be back in action on Friday. Next up, Martinache and Turley will face Campbell Ricci and Leigh Van Zyl out of Tulane, while Chan and Varul take on Fullerton’s Seha Yu and Emilie Lugon in the doubles round of 16.

Doubles competition will be followed by the singles round of 16.

Follow along:
Draws/Results

Day One Results
Doubles Round of 32
Ninon Martinache/Vessa Turley (SDSU) def. Peyton Duckett/Hams Metwali (GCU) 6-4
Madison Schwarz/Chloe Schwarz (Fullerton) def. Gloria Alogo/Vesa Gjinaj (SDSU) 6-2
Summer Chandler/Micah Pierce (Tulane) def. Jayna Clemens/Teja Tirunelveli (SDSU) 6-1
Jo-Yee Chan/Liisa Varul (SDSU) – BYE

Singles Round of 64
Silvia Maria Costache (Nevada) def. Teja Tirunelveli (SDSU) 6-4, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4
Kristina Nordikyan (USD) def. Vessa Turley (SDSU) 6-0, 7-6 (7-4)
Petra Janigova (Nevada) def. Vesa Gjinaj (SDSU) 6-2, 6-4
Ninon Martinache (SDSU) – BYE
Liisa Varul (SDSU) – BYE
Jo-Yee Chan (SDSU) – BYE
Gloria Alogo (SDSU) – BYE
Jayna Clemens (SDSU) – BYE

Singles Round of 32
Liisa Varul (SDSU) def. Wiem Boubaker (Nevada) 6-4, 6-3
Jo-Yee Chan (SDSU) def. Maria Shmakova (USD) 6-4, 6-3
Gloria Alogo (SDSU) def. Daniela Borruel (USC) 7-5, 6-2
Anna Linn Moll (USD) def. Ninon Martinache (SDSU) 7-5, 6-4
Kennedy Robinson (Nevada) def. Jayna Clemens (SDSU) 6-4, 6-1