SAN FRANCISCO — The University of San Francisco women's tennis team earned a big program win Sunday, defeating Fresno State, 4-3, at the Olympic Club.
 
The Dons (4-2) grabbed an early advantage by winning the doubles point. Quick wins by Arianna Capogrosso and Rita Colyer at No. 2 doubles (6-1), and Caragh Courtney and Maria Martinez Vaquero at No. 3 doubles (6-2) put USF ahead early. Mya Bui and Chiho Mushika were also leading, 4-3, at No. 1 doubles before the match went unfinished with the doubles point already clinched.
 
"We had a solid clutch win against a top program in Fresno State," said San Francisco head coach Peter Bartlett. "We did a great job fighting today and showing poise in the tough moments."
 
Every singles matchup mattered Sunday. The Dons earned the first singles win with a fast 6-1, 6-1, sweep by Mushika over Fresno State's Ella Husrefovic at the No. 4 spot. That gave USF a 2-0 match advantage, but Fresno State (4-2) would win the next three singles matches at No. 1, 2 and 5 to take a 3-2 lead. That meant the Dons had to win each of the last two singles matches at No. 3 and No. 6.
 
Colyer gutted out a thrilling sweep at No. 3, winning the first set, 6-3, and getting a 7-5 tiebreaker win to take the second set, 7-6. That evened the match at 3-3 and left it all to No. 6 singles – the only match of the day that went three sets. Courtney won the first set, 7-5, but lost the second, 6-1. Then she came back strong and won the third set, 6-2, to hand San Francisco the match victory.
 
"We knew it was going to be hard-fought," said Bartlett. "Chiho gave us a great start getting us momentum in singles. Rita did a great job keeping us in the match with her win and Caragh did a great job finishing and clinching the victory.
 
"This should be a good confidence builder for our program knowing we can win against this type of program."
 
Sunday's win is believed to be the program's first over Fresno State, and is the Dons' first victory over the Bulldogs since at least 2006.
 
The Dons next play at 1 p.m. Saturday at Sacramento State.
 
San Francisco 4, Fresno State 3
The Olympic Club – San Francisco
Feb. 28, 2021
 
Singles
1. Dalia Ahmed (FS) def. Mya Bui (USF), 6-3, 6-0
2. Deniza Marcinkevica (FS) def. Maria Martinez Vaquero (USF), 6-2, 6-3
3. Rita Colyer (USF) def. Cristina Flaquer (FS), 6-3, 7-6 (7-5)
4. Chiho Mushika (USF) def. Ella Husrefovic (FS), 6-1, 6-1
5. Carolina Piferi (FS) def. Arianna Capogrosso (USF), 6-4, 7-5
6. Caragh Courtney (USF) def. Carlotta Nonnis Marzano (FS), 7-5, 1-6, 6-2
 
Order of finish: (4, 1, 2, 5, 3, 6)
 
Doubles
1. Ahmed/Marcinkevica (FS) vs. Bui/Mushika (USF), 3-4 (40-0) – DNF
2. Capogrosso/Colyer (USF) def. Husrefovic/Flaquer (FS), 6-1
3. Courtney/Martinez Vaquero (USF) def. Nonnis Marzano/Piferi (FS), 6-2
 
Order of finish: (2, 3)