(Chubbuck, Idaho - Sept. 15, 2025) – Utah Tech women's tennis finished a successful weekend at the Idaho State Invitational on Sunday at Capell Park. Senior Nicole Kells and freshman Cameron Hendrix won the Bengal draw, while junior Olivia Bustos and sophomore Maya Inouye took second in the Black draw. 

"It was an incredible opening weekend for UT Tennis," head coach Eric Pelton said. "I'm so proud and impressed with the girls this weekend. They came out and worked hard all three days to pick up a lot of great wins and experience. What a great way to start off the Fall Season." 

Kells finished the weekend at 7-1, with a 4-0 mark in singles play. Kells bested teammate senior Raquel Roshak in singles 6-1, 6-2, on Saturday. On Sunday, Kells also filled in for Bustos to help Inouye to a second-place finish in the Black draw. Kells won doubles with Hendrix and Inouye, beating ISU's Evelina Zhuk and Journee Hartman 8-5 and Montana's Monica Fizova and Kamila Slovakova 8-4, respectively. In singles play, Kells earned victories over Hartman (ISU) 6-1, 6-3 and Slovakova (UM) 6-0, 6-0. Pelton called Kell's performance in the invitational an amazing feat. 

Inouye took down Idaho State's Emmy Richards in singles play on Saturday, 6-4, 6-3. On Sunday, Inouye finished out a perfect weekend in singles play, topping Fizova (UM) 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.

"Maya went undefeated in singles with strong and determined play," Pelton said. "She was outhustling and outworking her opponents." 

Sophomore Nutsa Tsintsadze and Roshak picked up a close doubles win over teammates Hendrix and Kells, 8-7 (7-4), on Saturday. Tsintsadze rallied to defeat Hendrix in singles play, 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4. 

On Saturday, juniors Mariana Zurita Berdecio and Ana Gutierrez Sampere won a doubles match over Montana's Kelsey Phillips and Megnah Anand, 8-1.  On Sunday, Gutierrez Sampere staged an incredible comeback to take down ISU's Veronika Zarovna in singles play, 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (11-9).

"She played so great," Pelton said about Gutierrez Sampere. "She overcame and stayed positive to pull off a huge win."

Utah Tech is back in action on Tuesday-Saturday, October 7-11, at the ITA Mountain Regionals. BYU is hosting this year's regionals at its tennis facility in Provo, Utah. 

Saturday Results
Kelsey Phillips/Megnah Anand (UM) def. Mariana Zurita Berdecio/Ana Gutierrez Sampere (UT), 2-1
Doubles: Zurita Berdecio/Gutierrez Sampere (UT) def. Phillips/Anand (UM) 8-1
Singles 1: Anand (UM) def. Gutierrez Sampere (UT) 6-1, 6-2
Singles 2: Phillips (UM) def. Zurita Berdecio (UT) 0-6, 6-2, 6-3

Sydney Morris/Emmy Richards (ISU) def. Maya Inouye/Olivia Bustos (UT), 2-1
Doubles: Morris/Richards (ISU) def. Inouye/Bustos (UT) 8-6
Singles 1: Morris (ISU) def. Bustos (UT) 6-1, 6-0
Singles 2: Inouye (UT) def. Richards (ISU) 6-4, 6-3

Nutsa Tsintsadze/Raquel Roshak (UT) def. Cameron Hendrix/Nicole Kells (UT), 2-1
Doubles: Tsintsadze/Roshak (UT) def. Hendrix/Kells (UT) 8-7 (7-4)
Singles 1: Tsintsadze (UT) def. Hendrix (UT) 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
Singles 2: Kells (UT) def. Roshak (ISU) 6-1, 6-2

Sunday Results
Millie Day/Veronika Zarovna (ISU) def. Mariana Zurita Berdecio/Ana Gutierrez Sampere (UT), 2-1
Doubles: Day/Zarovna (ISU) def. Zurita Berdecio/Gutierrez Sampere (UT) 8-4
Singles 1: Day (ISU) def. Zurita Berdecio (UT) 4-6, 7-5, 6-1
Singles 2: Gutierrez Sampere (UT) def. Zarovna (ISU) 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (11-9)

Maya Inouye/Nicole Kells (UT) def. Monica Fizova/Kamila Slovakova (UM), 3-0
Doubles: Inouye/Kells (UT) def. Fizova/Slovakova (UM) 8-4
Singles 1: Inouye (UT) def. Fizova (UM) 6-3, 3-6, 6-2
Singles 2: Kells (UT) def. Slovakova (UM) 6-0, 6-0

Kate Pritchard/Kaylin Kietly (UM) def. Nutsa Tsintsadze/Raquel Roshak (UT), 2-1
Doubles: Pritchard/Kietly (UM) def. Tsintsadze/Roshak (UT) 8-6
Singles 1: Pritchard (UM) def. Tsintsadze (UT) 6-3, 6-1
Singles 2: Roshak (UT) def. Kietly (UM) (Default)

Cameron Hendrix/Nicole Kells (UT) def. Evelina Zhuk/Journee Hartman (ISU), 2-1
Doubles: Hendrix/Kells (UT) def. Zhuk/Hartman (ISU) 8-5
Singles 1: Zhuk (ISU) def. Hendrix (UT) 2-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-4)
Singles 2: Kells (UT) def. Hartman (ISU) 6-1, 6-3