DENVER, Colo. – The No. 63 University of New Mexico women’s tennis team rallied to defeat the No. 64 Denver Pioneers 4-3 on Saturday evening at the Colorado Athletic Club on Monaco allowing the Lobos to improve to 8-1 on the season.
“It was a crazy match tonight,” head coach Erica Jasper said. “I am so proud of the team and the heart they showed even when things were tough.”
The Lobos lost the doubles point in a tight battle. Sharon Coone and Danlina Dahlmans fell to Sonja Radosevic and Evy Van Genechten 6-1 in the No. 3 spot allowing the Pioneers to gain early momentum. However Dominique Dulski and Natasha Smith answered with a 6-2 win for the Lobos defeating Julia O’Loughlin and Maureen Slattery in the No. 1 spot. It all came down to the No. 2 match up between Meredith Hopson and Emily Olivier and DU’s Morgan Barnhill and Michelle Garpenlov where the Lobos eventually fell 7-5.
“We had a few missed chances in doubles which really hurt us and put our backs against the wall against a very feisty Denver team,” Jasper added.
The Pioneers continued to find success in singles action picking up two quick victories. O’Loughlin defeated Dulski 6-1, 6-3 and Radosevic posted a 6-2, 6-3 win over Olivier to give DU a 3-0 lead.
However the Lobos came ready to battle in the remaining four matches and weren’t ready to give up the match quite yet. Smith, Hopson, Coone, and Rachana Bhat answered with four big wins to clinch the win for the Lobos.
Bhat posted the Lobos’ first point with her 6-1, 6-4 win over Charlott Derbyshire in the No. 5 position. Smith defeated Slattery in a tight 7-5, 7-6 (4) match in the No. 1 spot to put score at 3-2. Coone evened up the boards with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 win over Barnhill. Hopson clinched the win with a lengthy three-set victory over Van Genechten in the No. 3 position; 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (4).
“Sharon Coone’s comeback at six was big for us and then obviously Meredith Hopson was clutch, fighting back from 4-1 down in the 3rd to clinch for us,” Jasper said. “I couldn’t be more proud of how we fought once again, but it is imperative that we do it from the start.”
UNM’s 8-1 record is the best start in program history since 2004.
The Lobos hit the courts again tomorrow for a match against Colorado at 11 a.m. MT in Boulder, Colo.
“Tomorrow’s match will be another tough one and we’ll have to work on being a little more positive and consistent from the first point,” Jasper said.
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