Utah Tech opened its two-match WAC schedule the wrong end of a 5-2 dual loss to Seattle U on Thursday afternoon at the GCU Tennis Complex.
 
The Trailblazers (3-11/0-1 WAC) and Redhawks split the first two doubles matches, with the duo of Olivia Bustos and Ana Gutierrez Sampere claiming a 6-0 victory over Daria Nazarenko and Jade Quintana at No. 2 doubles. 
 
However Seattle U (2-9/1-0 WAC) managed to earn the first point of the dual on the strength two wins at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles. The Blazer tandem of Maya Inouye and Mariana Zurita were felled by a 6-3 count by Lamija Avdic and Natalia Michta at No. 1 doubles, while Nutsa Tsintsadze and Laura Coulome were stopped by Seattle U's Lola Tavcar and Liliya Dimova, 6-0. 
 
Utah Tech picked up two straight-set wins in singles play, with Tsintsadze earning the first point with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Nazarenko at No. 4 singles. Inouye then followed suit at No. 5 singles with a 6-4, 6-0 triumph over Tavcar.
 
Meanwhile, the Trailblazers fell just short in a pair of back-and-forth battles at the top-two ladder positions, with Zurita dropping a hard-fought 7-6 (7-5), 7-5 duel with Avdic at No. 1 singles. 
 
In No. 2 singles, Bustos and Michta played in a three-set marathon, with the Blazer sophomore tying the match at a set apiece with a 6-4 win in set two after Michta claimed the opening set, 6-3. However Michta would outlast Bustos in the third set, claiming the match by a 6-2 count. 
 
Seattle U picked up its third singles win, and the dual win, with Dimova defeating Gutierrez Sampere 6-4, 6-2 at No. 4 singles. 
 
The No. 6 singles match between Coulome and Larissa Teramura ended with the Trailblazer senior retiring down 6-3, 4-0. 

"Our team played so well today, all the matches were close and could have gone either way," said Head Coach Eric Pelton. "Olivia and Ana picked up a big win [at No. 2 doubles], they attacked and accepted well and dominated for the win. Maya and Nutsa also played strong in their great wins [in singles]."
 
Utah Tech will continue its Arizona four-match trip on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. (MDT), with a WAC dual at GCU. 
 
Seattle U 5, Utah Tech 2
GCU Tennis Complex
Phoenix, Ariz.; March 27, 2025
Singles competition 
1. Lamija Avdic (SU) def.  Mariana Zurita (UT) 7-6 (7-5), 7-5
2. Natalia Michta (SU) def. Olivia Bustos (UT) 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
3. Liliya Dimova (SU) def. Ana Gutierrez Sampere (UT) 6-4, 6-2
4. Nutsa Tsintsadze (UT) def. Daria Nazarenko (SU) 6-4, 6-2
5. Maya Inouye (UT) def. Lola Tavcar (SU) 6-4, 6-0
6. Larissa Teramura SU def. Laura Coulome (UT), 6-4, 4-0 (ret.)

Doubles competition 
1. Lamija Avdic/Natalia Michta (SU) def. Maya Inouye/Mariana Zurita (UT) 6-3
2. Olivia Bustos/Ana Gutierrez Sampere (UT) def. Daria Nazarenko/Jade Quintana (SU) 6-0
3. Lola Tavcar/Liliya Dimova (SU) def. Nutsa Tsintsadze/Laura Coulome (UT) 6-0