ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico women’s team swept a season-opening doubleheader on Thursday at the Linda Estes Tennis Center. The Lobos tallied wins over Grand Canyon (6-1) and Northern Arizona (4-3).
UNM vs Grand Canyon…
UNM started off the day with a 6-1 victory over the GCU Antelopes.
Senior Natasha Smith and Sophomore Dominique Dulski got the Lobos started with a win in doubles play. The duo claimed a 6-2 victory over Priscilla Annoual and Tatum Prudhomme. Sophomore Rachana Bhat and freshman Sharon Coone tallied a close 7-5 win over Lana Macukat and Lana Rinaldi to clinch the doubles point for the Lobos.
Meredith Hopson and Emily Olivier were tied up at 6-6 with Silvia Tumova and Alexandra Petrzalkova in the No. 2 spot when their match was declared unfinished.
UNM also claimed five of the six singles matches against GCU. Coone posted an impressive 6-3, 6-4 win over Rinaldi giving the Lobos their first singles point of the morning. Hopson, Olivier, and Smith followed up Coone’s victory with three more Lobo wins allowing UNM to take a 5-0 lead. Hopson defeated Tumova, 6-4, 6-2; Olivier (No. 75 in ITA rankings) defeated Annoual, in a tight match, 7-6, 2-6, 1-0; Smith defeated Prudhomme, 7-5, 6-2.
Dulski fell to Petrzalkova in a three-set match, 4-6, 6-1, 6-3.
Bhat closed out the match with a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 win over Macukat.
Head Coach Erica Jasper on the Grand Canyon match:
“Our doubles while not pretty, was very effective. I thought we had great team energy and fight. Rachana Bhat and Sharon Coone were clutch for us at the #3 position.”
“In singles, the team really came together and worked. I couldn’t be more proud of how we handled a very tough GCU team.”
UNM vs Northern Arizona…
UNM closed out the doubleheader with a win over an aggressive NAU team.
Coone and Bhat claimed their second doubles win of the day with a quick 6-1 victory over Sara Brown and Livia Hollosy in the No. 3 spot. Hopson and Olivier defeated Hailey Rochin and Marta Lewandowska 7-5 to give the Lobos the first point of the match.
Smith and Dulski were in the midst of an intense match up against Johanna Vang and Emelia Box when their match was called off.
Singles action was a bit more of an uphill climb. Hopson was forced to end her match due to an illness giving NAU’s Box a default win. Olivier followed that up with a loss to Vang in the No. 1 spot (6-4, 6-0), allowing NAU to sneak ahead.
Smith and Dulski replied with wins for the Lobos putting the score at 3-2. Smith defeated Rochin, 6-1, 6-4; Dulski powered through three sets to defeat Lewandowska, 0-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Bhat clinched the win for UNM with her three-set victory over Hollosy, 7-5, 3-6, 6-1.
Coone played out her match against Jordan Denesik. The Lobo freshman eventually dropped a tight 7-6, 7-6 match to the NAU opponent.
Head Coach Erica Jasper on the Northern Arizona match:
“We though it was going to be a very physical day of tennis–and it was. Our doubles was much better tonight; all three teams played high energy aggressive doubles and it paid off. Emily Olivier and Meredith Hopson really stepped up when it counted.”
“In singles, NAU came at us hard, and although our start wasn’t what we wanted, our team fight and heart was impressive today. Natasha Smith, Dominique Dulski, and Rachana Bhat deserve a lot of praise for getting it done in singles against a very good NAU team. I also was impressed with Sharon Coone tonight–despite coming up short, her fight, energy and willingness to battle helped her team mates get the W.”
The Lobos hit the court again on Friday night for a match against Kansas at 6 p.m. at the Linda Estes Tennis Center. Live stats will be available for the match here: LIVE STATS
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