SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Gonzaga women's tennis was defeated 4-1 by Loyola Marymount in the quarterfinals of the WCC Tournament at San Diego State's Aztec Tennis Center.

The No. 5 seed Bulldogs started hot in Thursday's dual as Safien Boulonois/Norhan Hesham dominated in a 6-1 victory. No. 4 LMU bounced back, withstanding Emily Robertson/Ella Nielsen (6-2) and Rose Hayes/Lia Espinal (6-3) to claim the doubles point.

Moving to singles, the Lions notched another point by defeating Nielsen 6-2, 6-1. The Zags got on the board with Hesham's 6-3, 6-3 triumph — her second win of the day. LMU clinched the overall match with victories over Hayes (6-2, 6-3) and Robertson (6-1, 6-3).

Boulonois and Brooke Bittner were in their second sets when the dual ended. The Lions will face No. 1 seed Pepperdine on Friday at 10 a.m. in the WCC Tournament semifinals.

MATCH NOTES
- GU women's tennis concludes the Spring season 11-10 overall and 3-4 versus WCC opponents, with wins over Michigan State, Eastern Washington, New Mexico State, New Mexico, Air Force, Montana, Seattle, Saint Mary's, Pacific, Portland State, and Santa Clara.
- This was Gonzaga's first postseason appearance since 2018-19 when they advanced as a 3-seed to the championship dual against top-seeded Pepperdine. Gonzaga's 5-2 conference record in 2020-21 would have qualified for the postseason. However, the WCC Tournament was canceled due to logistics surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Loyola Marymount is now 8-11 overall and 6-3 against WCC teams.

DOUBLES NOTES
- The Zags were 28-22 overall in doubles matches this Spring season.
- Leading the team in doubles wins were Safien Boulonois (11-4), Norhan Hesham (11-5), and Emily Robertson (11-7), followed by Ella Nielsen (8-8).
- Robertson/Nielsen were named to the All-WCC Second Team in doubles this week. Hesham/Boulonois were given All-WCC honors as an Honorable Mention.
- Robertson/Nielsen were No. 88 in the April 1 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) rankings after beating then-No. 41 Eva Alvarez/Maxine Murphy from Washington State on March 22.
- Robertson/Nielsen dropped out of the April 8 rankings after falling to Loyola Marymount's Anastasia Bozova/Stefania Rogozinska-Dzik, who have been ranked all season and entered that match at No. 49.
- LMU's Anastasia Bozova/Stefania Rogozinska-Dzik, ranked No. 87 this week, also made the All-WCC Second Team.

SINGLES NOTES
- The Bulldogs were 40-56 overall in singles matches this season.
- Norhan Hesham (10-9) and Emily Robertson (9-8) led the Zags in singles wins.
- Robertson, playing on court one all season, was named to the All-WCC Second Team in singles for the second straight year. She is the first Bulldog to be given the honors twice in her career.

4/24 Dual Results:
Loyola Marymount 4, Gonzaga 1

Doubles
1. No. 87 Anastasia Bozova/Stefania Rogozinka-Dzik (LMU) def. Emily Robertson/Ella Nielsen, 6-2
2. Safien Boulonois/Norhan Hesham def. Isabella Tcherkes-Zade/Kim-Michaela Zahraj (LMU), 6-1
3. Martina Bovio/Fiona Arrese (LMU) def. Rose Hayes/Lia Espinal, 6-3
Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3

Singles
1. Stefania Rogozinka-Dzik (LMU) def. Emily Robertson, 6-1, 6-3
2. Norhan Hesham def. Anastasia Bozova (LMU), 6-3, 6-3
3. Camilia Samel-Druz (LMU) def. Ella Nielsen, 6-2, 6-1
4. Safien Boulonois vs. Fiona Arrese (LMU), 4-6, 5-2 (unfinished)
5. Kim-Michaela Zahraj (LMU) def. Rose Hayes, 6-2, 6-3
6. Brooke Bittner vs. Isabella Tcherkes-Zade (LMU), 7-5, 4-0 (unfinished)
Order of Finish: 3, 2, 5, 1