USAFA, Colo. – Utah State women’s tennis continued its fall campaign at the Air Force-hosted Bedford Cup in the Mountains with singles and doubles action on Thursday.
The Aggies opened the day with the first round of doubles. Senior Lisa Küng and junior Cielo Tapia-Cruz defeated New Mexico’s Leonie Hoppe and Bente Vendeputte 8-5 in the round of 32 of the Blue draw before losing in the round of 16.
Fifth year Zeynep Naz Ozturk and freshman partner Niyati Kukreti lost 8-5 to Denver junior Andrea Beltran and graduate student Britt Pursell.
In the White doubles draw, senior Maile Brilhante and sophomore Magdalena Nunez Pureco advanced to the quarterfinals by taking their match in an 8-5 win. The pair went on to defeat their Montana State match in a tiebreak.
Doubles partners senior Laura Eugenio de Hilario and junior Indya Nespor along with sophomore Jade Brilhante and Idaho’s Naomi Schraeder advanced to the quarterfinals of the White draw through a bye. Hilario and Nespor won their match in an 8-6 battle against Air Force’s Amy Park and Carissa Holguin, while Brilhante and Schraeder were defeated 8-5 in their match against Air Force.
Doubles action continues for the Aggie pairs on Friday, Sept. 15, at 9 a.m.
Seven Aggies saw action in the first round of singles play on Thursday.
Two Utah State athletes competed in the Bravo bracket, with Küng defeating Wyoming senior Noesjka Brink in a straight-set 6-3, 6-4 win, and Kukreti losing 6-3, 6-4 to Montana State’s Meg McCarty.
Pureco competed in the first round of the Charlie bracket and lost 6-3, 6-1 to Boise State senior Joana Baptista.
The two Aggies in the Delta bracket split in the first round. Tapia-Cruz won in a 6-1, 6-3 straight-set match against Wyoming junior Serina Abriola, while Hilario lost in straight-sets to Denver’s Claudia Martinez de Velasco.
Maile Brilhante was the only Aggie to compete in the first round of the Echo bracket as Nespor and Jade Brilhante received first round byes. Maile was defeated in a 7-5, 6-2 match against Denver freshman Karsyn Evans.
Ozturk, the lone USU player in the Alpha draw, lost her Thursday match in a second-set tiebreak, and will continue competition in the consolation bracket.
Singles play continues Friday, Sept. 14, at 10:00 a.m.
Fans can follow USU’s women’s tennis team on Twitter @USUWomensTennis, on Facebook at /UtahStateWomensTennis or on Instagram at USUWomensTennis. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter, @USUAthletics, Facebook at /USUAthletics and on Instagram, @USUAthletics.
ITA BEDFORD CUP IN THE MOUNTAINS RESULTS
DOUBLES
Blue Bracket
First Round
Lisa Küng/Cielo Tapio-Cruz (USU) def. Leonie Hoppe/Bente Vendeputte (UNM) 8-5
Andrea Beltran/Britt Pursell (DEN) def. Zeynep Naz Ozturk/Niyati Kukreti (USU) 8-5
Round of 16
Nicole Discenza/Lorelyz Marruffo (BSU) def. Lisa Küng/Cielo Tapio-Cruz (USU) 8-4
White Bracket
First Round
Maile Brilhante/Magdalena Nunez Pureco (USU) def. Annabel Davis/Ida Johansson (Idaho) 8-4
Laura Eugenio de Hilario/Indya Nespor (USU) – BYE
Jade Brilhante/Naomi Schraeder (Idaho) – BYE
Quarterfinals
Indya Nespor/Laura Eugenio de Hilario (USU) def. Amy Park/Carissa Holguin (AF) 8-6
Joselyn Limbago/Gia Sanchirico (AF) def. Jade Brilhante (USU)/Naomi Schraeder (Idaho) 8-5
Maile Brilhante/Magdalena Nunez Pureco (USU) def. Andrea Cuquerella/Angel Bean (MSU) 8-7 (7-4)
SINGLES
Alpha Bracket
First Round
Britt Pursell (DEN) def. Zeynep Naz Ozturk (USU) 6-1, 7-6 (7-4)
Bravo Bracket
First Round
Lisa Küng (USU) def. Noesjka Brink (WYO) 6-3, 6-4
Meg McCarty (MSU) def. Niyati Kukreti (USU) 6-3, 6-4
Charlie Bracket
First Round
Joana Baptista (BSU) def. Magdalena Nunez Pureco (USU) 6-3, 6-1
Delta Bracket
First Round
Claudia Martinez de Velasco (DEN) def. Laura Fernanda Eugenio de Hilario (USU) 6-2, 6-2
Cielo Tapia-Cruz (USU) def. Serina Abriola (WYO) 6-1, 6-3
Echo Bracket
First Round
Karsyn Evans (DEN) def. Maile Brilhante (USU) 7-5, 6-2
Indya Nespor (USU) – BYE
Jade Brilhante (USU) – BYE
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