MORAGA, Calif. – The Saint Mary's Women's Tennis open their 2023 spring season when they take on the University of Nevada this Saturday at 12 pm in Moraga. 
 
THE DETAILS
Nevada Wolfpack (1-1) at Saint Mary's (0-0) 
Saturday, January 28 at 12:00 pm
Korth Tennis Courts – Moraga, Calif. 
 
LAST TIME OUT
Saint Mary's are back in action for the first time since October, last competing in the SMC Fall Invite at home in Moraga. The Gaels were in action on both the singles and doubles courts, as numerous players made runs deep into the tournament. 
 
Sunday's action concluded with an exciting matchup against teammates, as Olivia Rook and Stefanie Silva faced off the blue consolation semi-finals.
 
Silva got off to the quicker start, taking the first set 6-3. Rook bounced back in a big way, taking the second set in exciting 7-5 fashion. 
 
It was only fitting the two teammates went to a tiebreak, as bragging rights were at stake. Both players fought for every point, and it was Olivia Rook in the end that prevailed, winning the tiebreak 10-6, thus winning the match. 
 
In the blue consolation finals, Rook took on Pacific's Ruja MiaAngelina. The two battled throughout the first set, demanding a tiebreaker to decide the winner. 
 
MiaAngelina got the better of Rook, winning the tiebreak 8-6, and the first set 7-6. Rook was un-phased and stuck to her game, and it paid off in the second set. She went on to win 6-4, with the match to be decided in another tiebreak. 
 
Rook was not to be denied on Sunday, winning the tiebreak 10-6. Rook finished off her exciting weekend with a comeback win in the blue consolation finals, winning the match, 6-7, 6-4 (10-6). 
 
The Gaels were an even 10-10 overall last season, and 5-4 in the WCC. Led by two experienced players in Jordan Harris and Lene Mari Hovda, Saint Mary's are mixing experience and youth this upcoming season. Joining the squad are Madison Weekley and Jamie Pope, two freshmen who quickly found their footing in the match's last fall. 
 
As they head into their first match this weekend, the Gaels will look to start the season on the front foot and snatch a win from the Wolfpack.

ABOUT NEVADA
Guillaume Tonelli is entering his 11^th season with the Wolfpack after leading them to a 10-11 overall record last season. Tonelli's team finished 9^th in the Mountain West conference last season after going 2-7. 
 
The Wolfpack have never beaten the Gaels, as Saint Mary's have won all three previous matchups. Their least head-to-head was back in 2007, with the Gaels winning 4-3 in Reno, Nevada. 
 
Nevada played their first match of the New Year last Friday, rolling to a 7-0 sweep over Point Loma. 
 
They earned the doubles point early on with three wins, led by a 6-1 victory for partners Mariana Campino and the newest addition to the squad, Amaheé Charrier. Audrey Mountama and Anastasia Luneva also took a 6-1 win over Angelique Friedrich and Rachel Whittington while Mathilde Sarcelet and Wiem Boubaker won 6-3, over Faith Pearson and Joelle Lanz.
 
The success carried on into singles play with dominant wins from Campino, Moutama, and Sarcelet. Campino picked up a 6-1, 6-3 win over Audelo to earn the first singles point, with Moutama took Letzring, 6-1, 6-0, followed by Sarcelet's 6-1, 6-2 victory over Jackson.
 
Boubaker took the first match over Sepulveda quickly, 6-3, and fought hard to earn the point in the second set with her 7-5 win. Charrier also put up a fight, battling with PLNU's Lanz, taking the win in the first set 7-5, and ultimately earning the second set 7-6. Luneva took the victory over Friedrich, 6-2, 6-3, to finish out the day.