Swift Secures 4-3 Battle Over Nevada for Women’s Tennis’ Sixth-Straight Win

Box Score

SAN JOSE, CALIF. – Down 3-1 deep into their match against Nevada on Friday, the Air Force women's tennis team found success on its final three courts to storm back in a major show of effort against the Wolf Pack to claim a 4-3 victory at the Spartan Tennis Complex.

Once again, it was senior Courtney Swift on line four who managed to secure the winning point for the Falcons (10-8, 6-1 MW), claiming an 8-6 win after saving match point in the final tiebreaker to clinch the team victory for her second-consecutive match.

Air Force remains undefeated as a team in doubles play, downing Nevada on courts one (Sydney Fitch/Alexis Odom) and two (Isabella Flodin/Abby Cotuna), improving to 15-3 in the dual doubles format this spring and 7-0 against Mountain West programs. After a 6-4 win for Flodin/Cotuna earned the Falcons some leverage, it was Fitch/Odom who earned a 7-5 victory to clinch on the final court, with both improving to 11-3 on the spring.

Nevada (7-8, 2-5 MW) rapidly recovered from its doubles loss, taking the first three singles points with straight-set wins on lines two, three and five, threatening a clinch with the remaining three courts either tied in, or beginning a third set.

Fitch, on court one, bought the Falcons their second point of the day, downing Nevada's Anastasia Luneva, 6-2, 7-5, earning her fifth dual singles win of 2022-23.

Freshman Arianna Van Houweling managed to even the tally on court six after falling in her first set against Nevada's Audrey Moutama. Van Houweling responded in kind, winning her second set 7-5 and handing Moutama her first set loss in seven matches and first in conference play. Van Houweling dispatched of Moutama in the third, 6-3, snapping her opponent's win streak and handing her opponent her first dual singles loss since Feb. 11.

Van Houweling's tying win opened the door for Swift to clinch, taking Nevada's Mariana Campano all the way into the final tiebreaker to seal the come-from-behind win for Air Force.

Head Coach Kim Gidley Recaps the Day:
"The doubles win was huge for us again - Winning the doubles point for the seventh conference match in a row. Alexis and Sydney were down 4-2 and came back to clinch the point. Isabella and Abby made quick work to get the first doubles win.

"Singles was a barn burner again. Sydney really set the momentum, winning a tough first set. She made her opponent just 60 balls a point and when she was down 0-40, she found a way to come back and win those games. It was Arianna Van Houweling that was able to make huge adjustments to come back after losing her first set. Her opponent had not lost a set in conference play and Arianna would not be denied. It was an incredible fight by Ari to win the next two sets. Her intensity and fight was huge.

"It came down to the last match for our senior, Courtney. Court was down 4-0 in the first set and saved three set points to win it. Her opponent would not go down easily, and stormed back in the second set and then took the lead in the third. Court just put the pressure on her opponent in the tiebreaker and made her hit a winner every time to win just one point. What an incredible battle!

"This team all fights, top to bottom - and that is what makes the difference. You just have to love their effort and will to compete!"

Up Next:
Air Force women's tennis remains in San Jose to face host SJSU on Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. MT.

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