SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State (1-0) tennis opened their 2023 season with a close 4-3 win over Sam Houston (2-2) that came down to the last match of the day in Huntsville, Texas. 
 
"Extremely happy to squeak out a win against a solid Sam Houston team," said head coach Kendall Brooks. "Every single match today was really close and competitive, and I am proud of the way we handled ourselves. We have talked about going into this season playing without fear and with courage, and it was fitting that in the first match we had to do just that."
 
Doubles
The Bobcats started the match off strong against the Bearkats with a clinched doubles point after three tight matches. Jadeh Chan and Andrea Pineda won their match 7-6 (9) over Anastasia Khokhlova and Aaliyah Hohmann on line three. Kiana Graham and Sofia Fortuno secured the opening point on court two with a 7-6 (5) win against Sahithi Vutukuru and Vianne Schwab. 
 
Kate Malazonia and Mae McCutcheon dropped their match on court one 6-7 (3). 
 
Singles
Graham was first to finish in singles, Sam Houston's Megan Basson took the top court victory against Graham 6-4, 6-0. Malazonia earned the first singles win for the Bobcats, defeating Vutukuru 6-1, 6-2. Following that Sam Houston picked up their additional two points on court two against Emily Niers 7-6 (9), 6-4, and on court four over McCutcheon 2-6, 6-0, 6-2. 
 
Pineda won the second singles point for the Bobcats with a 6-4, 7-5 win over Schwab. 
 
It all came down to Fortuno's match on line six where she was able to save three match points, when she took down Hohmann 4-6, 7-6, 6-2 to give Texas State the first victory of the season.
 
Up Next
The Bobcats travel to take on Houston tomorrow, January 28 at 9 a.m. CT. Live stats will be available for the match against the Cougars.