March 12, 2005
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.- An all out battle took place at the Lobo Tennis Club today between the No. 46 University of New Mexico women’s tennis team and No. 53 Tulsa. Both teams brought intensity to the match, but in the end the Lobos (8-6) proved to have the winning edge, defeating the Golden Hurricane (6-8) 5-2.
It was business as usual for New Mexico in the doubles portion of the match as it captured the all important point for the second time this weekend. At No. 1 doubles, the 9th-ranked tandem of Maja Kovacek and Iva Gersic notched an 8-4 win over Tulsa’s Daniela Muscolino and Carla Zabaleta while the senior pair of Michelle Heidbrink and Tiffany Robertson post an 8-6 win at the No. 2 spot over Santie Delport and Timberly Greenly.
In the singles portion, the Lobos won four of six matches. At the No. 2 position, No. 56 Gersic cruised past Lisette Pereira in two sets, winning 6-1, 6-0 while freshman Jennifer Ryba grabbed a confident 6-3, 6-1 victory at the No. 5 spot over Greenly. At No. 1 singles, No. 66 Kovacek battled through a three set match against Muscolino. The Lobo junior fell in the first set, but never counted herself out as she retaliated with impressive wins in the last two sets (2-6,7-5,6-1). Sophomore Nora Quintal was also faced with a challenge at No. 3 singles against Zabaleta. Quintal rose to the occasion though, clinching the victory in the tie-breaker (4-6,7-6,1-0(6)). Tulsa collected wins at the No. 4 and 6 spots, but it was not enough to overcome the solid looking Lobos.
New Mexico caps its weekend at home tomorrow against No. 39 Sacramento State. Match time is set for 2 p.m.
No. 46 New Mexico 5, No. 53 Tulsa 2
Doubles
1. No. 9 Kovacek/Gersic (UNM) def. Muscolino/Zabaleta (TU) 8-4
2. Heidbrink/Robertson (UNM) def. Delport/Greenly (TU) 8-6
3. Pereira/Grimes (TU) def. Quintal/Scott (UNM) 8-3
Singles
1. No. 66 Maja Kovacek (UNM) def. Daniela Muscolino (TU) 2-6,7-5,6-1
2. No. 56 Iva Gersic (UNM) def. Lisette Pereira (TU) 6-1,6-0
3. Nora Quintal (UNM) def. Carla Zabaleta (TU) 4-6,7-6,1-0(6)
4. Santie Delport (TU) def. Lucy Scott (UNM) 7-6,6-3
5. Jennifer Ryba (UNM) def. Timberly Greenly (TU) 6-3,6-1
6. Kindsay Grimes (TU) def. Tiffany Robertson (UNM) 2-6,7-5,6-4