Gonzaga Falls in Hard-Fought 4-3 Battle Against South Florida

The Gonzaga women’s tennis team came up just short in a tightly contested 4-3 loss to South Florida on Wednesday at USF’s Varsity Tennis Courts.

The Bulldogs started strong, securing the doubles point with victories from Rose Hayes and Lia Espinal (6-3) and the duo of Norhan Hesham and Safien Boulonois (7-5). However, Emily Robertson and Ella Nielsen fell 6-2, ending their four-match winning streak and bringing their season record as a pair to 5-2.

In singles play, South Florida quickly evened the score as Nielsen fell 6-2, 6-3. Gonzaga regained control, moving ahead 3-1 with wins from Espinal (6-1, 6-3) and Hesham (7-5, 7-6 (2)). However, the Bulls mounted a comeback, claiming the final three singles matches. Robertson (7-6, 6-3), Boulonois (7-6 (8), 4-6, 6-2), and Hayes (6-3, 6-7, 6-4) fought hard but ultimately fell, sealing the win for USF.

Up Next

Gonzaga will return home to open West Coast Conference play against Washington State on March 22. Fans can follow live action on GoZags.com.

Match Notes

• Gonzaga now holds a 7-6 record this season, with wins against Michigan State, Eastern Washington, New Mexico State, New Mexico, Air Force, Montana, and Seattle.
• The Bulldogs started the season strong at 5-1 and have been dominant at home with a 5-1 record at the Stevens Center.
• Before this matchup, Gonzaga was coming off two 4-0 shutout victories against Montana (Feb. 28) and Seattle (March 2).
• The Zags are now 2-3 in road matches and 0-2 at neutral sites.
• USF, now 5-9, has won four consecutive dual matches.

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