Tempe, Ariz. – Star freshman Chelsea Fontenel continued her dominance on Sunday morning at the Whiteman Tennis Center, helping the No. 25 Sun Devils defeat the No. 53 Oregon Ducks, 4-0, in the conference play opener to improve to 10-2 on the season.
The match began with a convincing doubles victory for the duo of Marianna Argyrokastriti and Fontenel, 6-1. The country's No. 14 doubles team of Domenika Turkovic and Patricija Spaka battled against the Ducks and took the victory, 6-3, to clinch the doubles point for the Sun Devils. The Sun Devils have now won the doubles point in 11 of 12 matches this season.
Head coach Sheila McInerney: "Really happy with the two matches this weekend. I thought the team came out with good energy and competed well. Both Baylor and Oregon are good teams and to handle them fairly easily is a good sign. Always nice to start the conference season with a win and we look forward to continue to improve as a team."
The Argyrokastriti-Fontenel duo has emerged as one of the Sun Devils' steadiest this spring, sporting a 7-1 record on doubles Court 3.
Holding on to a 1-0 lead now, the Sun Devils made quick work of the Ducks in singles. Sedona Gallagher dominated on Court 4, winning in straight sets, 6–0, 6-1. The Henderson, Nevada native has now won three consecutive singles contests.
Back on Court 1, Fontenel was in total control for the first set of her singles match, taking down Oregon's Luescher, 6-0. She faced a bit more resistance from her opponent in the second set, but ultimately battled her way to a victory, 6-3. Fontenel is now 11-0 in singles this season, tied with Argyrokastriti for the team-high in wins. Her latest two wins have been her best, both of which came atop the Sun Devil lineup in place of the injured Giulia Morlet.
Argyrokastriti controlled Court 3 for the majority of her match, defeating Petchey, 6-1, 6-1 to take the singles victory and clinch the win for the Sun Devils, 4-0.
The Sun Devils are still undefeated at home on the season, something fans have grown accustomed to seeing from Sheila McInerney's squad over the years. In their last 66 home matches dating back to 2018, the Sun Devils have won 57 times.
RECENT HISTORY OF SUN DEVILS AT WHITEMAN
2023: 9-0
2022: 11-2
2021: 9-2
2020: 8-1 (before COVID-19 cancellation)
2019: 10-3
2018: 10-1
TOTAL: 57-9 (.864)
DOUBLES
1) #14 Domenika Turkovic/Patricija Spaka (ASU) def. Luescher/Martinez Moral (Oregon) 6-3
2) Sedona Gallagher/Rachel Hanford (ASU) vs. Chan/Teixido Garcia (Oregon) 4-5, unfinished
3) Marianna Argyrokastriti/Chelsea Fontenel (ASU) def. Kobayashi/Petchey (Oregon) 6-1
Order of finish: 3, 1
SINGLES
1) #116 Chelsea Fontenel (ASU) def. Sophie Luescher (Oregon) 6-0, 6-3
2) #114 Domenika Turkovic (ASU) vs. Ares Teixido Garcia (Oregon) 3-6, 5-5, unfinished
3) #123 Marianna Argyrokastriti (ASU) def. Myah Petchey (Oregon) 6-1, 6-2
4) Sedona Gallagher (ASU) def. Uxia Martinez Moral (Oregon) 6-0, 6-1
5) Patricija Spaka (ASU) vs. Karin Young (Oregon) 4-6, 3-0, unfinished
6) Rachel Hanford (ASU) vs. Jo-Yee Chan (Oregon) 6-3, 4-4, unfinished
Order of finish: 4, 1, 3
UP NEXT
The Sun Devils will have a nice five-day break before wrapping up their three-match homestand against Pennsylvania on Saturday, March 11, at 12 p.m. MST at the Whiteman Tennis Center.
ASU last faced Pennsylvania on March 9, 2015, in Tempe where the Sun Devils defeated the Fighting Quakers, 7-0.