ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico women’s tennis team closed out its four-match weekend home stretch with a loss 5-2 to No. 23 South Carolina on Sunday afternoon. The Lobos are now 3-1 on the season.
“Despite the loss I am very proud of our team today,” head coach Erica Jasper said. “We fought exceptionally hard and the six people out there battled until the end. I think we’re all a bit disappointed, losing is never fun. But we learned some important things today and we can take that to next week where we have 3 tough teams coming in.”
The Gamecocks gained a quick edge in doubles action. Hadley Berg and Caroline Dailey teamed up for a 6-1 win over Meredith Hopson and Emily Olivier in the No. 2 spot. SCAR’s Xiemna Siles and Megen Cochran clinched the doubles point with a 6-2 victory over UNM’s Rachana Bhat and Susan Baklini in the No. 3 position.
Dominique Dulski and Natasha Smith were tied 4-4 against Elixane Lechemia and Brigit Folland in the No. 1 doubles spot when their match was declared unfinished.
UNM battled in singles play and claimed two of the six singles matches against the Gamecocks. Hopson tallied a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Folland in the No. 3 spot to put the Lobos on the board. Baklini dropped the first set to Cochran in the No. 6 spot, but gained a lead in the second set. The UNM sophomore eventually claimed the match 4-6, 5-4, ret. as the Gamecock opponent was unable to complete the match due to an injury.
Olivier hung around against No. 120 Lechemia in the No. 1 spot, but couldn’t come up with the win eventually dropping her match 6-2, 6-2. Dulski fell to Berg in the No. 4 spot, 6-1, 6-1. Bhat lost to Siles in the No. 5 position, 6-3, 6-1. Smith and Dailey duked it out through a tough match where Dailey eventually claimed the match 7-6 (3), 6-4, in the No. 2 spot for the Lobos.
“In terms of individual efforts, Meredith Hopson showed what an amazing fighter she is and Susie Baklini stepped in and played a good strategic match at #6 to get the win,” Jasper added.
The Lobos host another three home matches this upcoming weekend:
Houston – Thursday, January 29 @ 4 p.m. MT
Nevada – Friday, January 30 @ 4 p.m. MT
North Texas – Sunday, February 1 @ 10 a.m. MT
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