TUCSON, Ariz. — The Wildcats return home this Friday, April 18, for a special Senior Day match against UTEP at Bear Down Beach. First serve is set for 2:00 p.m. MST, with a pre-match ceremony honoring Arizona's seven graduating seniors beginning at 1:30 p.m.
The Sand Cats are coming off a solid weekend at the Boise State Invitational, where they split a pair of matches on Sunday, April 13. Arizona swept Portland 5-0 in the morning before falling in a 3-2 battle against host Boise State later that afternoon.
Arizona started the day strong against Portland, winning all five courts in straight sets. Kylee Fitzsimmons and Brooke Blutreich earned a dominant win on court one (21-13, 21-11), while Adri Nieves Papaleo and Kate Phillips handled business on court two (21-10, 21-11). Ashlyn Zilliken and Madeline Walker scored a 21-7, 21-10 victory on court three, followed by Annie Kost and Elin Kaiser taking care of court four (21-13, 21-12). Brooke Boyko and Katie Lambeth wrapped up the sweep with a 21-10, 21-5 win on court five.
Later that afternoon, Zilliken and Walker delivered again with another straight-set win (25-23, 21-15) on court three, and Boyko and Lambeth added Arizona's second point with a close win on court five (21-19, 23-21). Despite the effort, the Sand Cats dropped the match 3-2 to Boise State.
Arizona vs UTEP Match Schedule – Friday, April 18:
Arizona vs. UTEP (2:00 p.m. MST)
Senior ceremony begins at 1:30 p.m. MST at Bear Down Beach
Live scoring will be available at https://www.statbroadcast.com/events/statbroadcast.php?gid=ariz
Series History vs. UTEP:
Arizona is 4-0 all-time against UTEP, with all four wins coming since 2023. The Wildcats earned a 4-1 victory in their most recent duel on March 22, 2025. Arizona has never dropped a home match to the Miners, with a 4-0 record at Bear Down Beach.
Noting the Wildcats:
Ashlyn Zilliken and Madeline Walker had a strong weekend in Boise, going 2-0 with dominant performances on court three. They won both of their matches in straight sets and were one of Arizona's most consistent pairs.
Brooke Boyko and Katie Lambeth also went 2-0 on the weekend. They had a clean sweep against Portland and fought hard for a clutch win against Boise State, showing a lot of hustle and teamwork on court five.
Kylee Fitzsimmons and Brooke Blutreich picked up a solid straight-set win against Portland and had a strong start against Boise State, winning the first set before dropping a tough three-setter.
