ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – University of New Mexico women’s tennis player Natasha Smith (Long Beach, Calif.) has been named the Mountain West Women’s Tennis Player of the Week for the week of Jan. 28 – Feb. 3, the conference announced on Wednesday morning. It is the second career MW Player of the Week honor for Smith.
Smith, the only senior in the Lobo lineup, had a very successful weekend on the court as she helped lead UNM to three straight victories at the Linda Estes Tennis Center.
“I am really happy for Natasha,” head coach Erica Jasper said. “She had a very solid weekend and it’s fun to see her hard work, determination, and leadership pay off. I think Natasha would say the same thing–that this is really a team award as well, everyone’s effort over this past weekend helped put Natasha in position to be honored.”
Smith posted a 2-1 singles record and 2-1 doubles record over the weekend as UNM picked up upset victories over No. 51 Houston and No. 70 North Texas and a conference win over Nevada.
Smith’s Weekend Highlights:
- Smith defeated Nevada’s Sheila Morales, 6-4, 6-4, in the No. 1 position
- Smith defeated North Texas’s Ksenyia Bardabush, 7-5, 7-6 (6), in the No. 1 position
- Smith’s only singles loss was to Houston’s No. 21 nationally ranked Despoina Vogasari, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3, in the No. 1 position
- Smith and Dominique Dulski defeated Houston’s Vogasari and Mina Markovic, 6-2, in the No. 1 position
- Smith and Dulski defeated North Texas’s Bardabush and Franziska Sprinkmeyer, 6-2, in the No. 1 position
- Smith contributed to Lobos’ victories over No. 51 Houston (5-2), Nevada (4-3), and No. 70 North Texas (4-0)
Smith was the only Lobo women’s tennis player to earn the MW Player of the Year award in the 2013-14 season.
The Lobos, currently 6-1, 1-0 on the season, host UTEP on Saturday at 11 a.m. MT at the Linda Estes Tennis Center.
“I am very proud of our team and their desire to be better every day,” Jasper added.
Twitter: @UNMWomenTennis | Facebook: Facebook.com/UNM.Women.Tennis | Instagram: newmexicowtennis