SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Sophomore Dominique Dulski rallied after being down a set to claim a 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Utah’s Luisa Gerstner Da Rosa on Thursday evening to help guide the Lobos to a 4-3 road win over the No. 73 Utes.
The No. 37 nationally ranked University of New Mexico women’s tennis team is now 9-2 on the season.
UNM started off the match strong by claiming the doubles point. The Lobos tried out some new doubles pairs for their match against the Utes and it seemed to work to their advantage. Dulski teamed up with Meredith Hopson to get the Lobos started with a 6-4 win over Rosa and Sarah Richter in the No. 2 spot. Dalina Dahlmans and Emily Olivier clinched the point with their 6-3 victory over Elena Najera-Salas and Jena Cheng in the No. 3 position.
“It was another total team effort tonight,” head coach Erica Jasper said. “In doubles we have been trying some different combinations this past week, and we really did a great job competing at all three positions. It wasn’t pretty doubles, but it was aggressive and feisty and it set the tone for the rest of the match.”
Sharon Coone and Natasha Smith were down 4-5 in their match in the No. 1 spot against No. 31 Tereza Bekerova and Margo Pletcher when the point was claimed.
In addition to Dulski’s match deciding win in the No. 4 spot, UNM tallied singles victories in the No. 3 and No. 5 spots. Olivier defeated Cheng 6-3, 6-3 and Rachana Bhat picked up a 6-3, 2-6, 6-2 win over Alexia Petrovic.
“In singles, Utah really came after us, but I was really proud how we stuck to our basics and continued to fight at every spot,” Jasper said. “Emily (Olivier) provided us a great boost with her quick win at #3. She had been struggling a bit the last couple weeks, but has persevered and played awesome today. Rachana (Bhat) played a solid third set to get us back in it and tie it 3-3 and then obviously Dominique (Dulski) was phenomenal. She really pushed through some pain and fatigue to play really high-level physical tennis to clinch it for us.”
However UU had a few wins of its own in singles action. No. 53 Bekerova defeated Smith 6-4, 6-2 in the No. 1 spot. Richter defeated Hopson 6-3, 7-5 in the No. 2 position. Coone fell to Pletcher 6-3, 6-4 in the No. 6 singles spot.
“For the team, we were all really motivated to get this one for our team captain and leader, Natasha Smith, so it’s an awesome feeling,” Jasper added. “I am so proud of this team and their heart!”
Smith, the Lobos’ only senior, played for the Utes for two seasons before coming to play at UNM as a junior.
UNM will close out the weekend with a match against BYU on Saturday at 10 a.m. MT.
Twitter: @UNMWomenTennis | Facebook: Facebook.com/UNM.Women.Tennis | Instagram: newmexicowtennis
FULL RESULTS
Doubles:
1) Sharon Coone/Natasha Smith (UNM) & Tereza Bekerova/Margo Pletcher (UU), unfinished
2) Dominique Dulski/Meredith Hopson (UNM) def. Luisa Gerstner Da Rosa/Sarah Richter (UU), 6-4
3) Dalina Dahlmans/Emily Olivier (UNM) def. Elena Najera-Salas/Jena Cheng (UU), 6-3
Order of Finish: 2, 3
Singles:
1) Bekerova (UU) def. Smith (UNM), 6-4, 6-2
2) Richter (UU) def. Hopson (UNM), 6-3, 7-5
3) Olivier (UNM) def. Cheng (UU), 6-3, 6-3
4) Dulski (UNM) def. Rosa (UU), 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
5) Bhat (UNM) def. Petrovic (UU), 6-3, 2-6, 6-2
6) Pletcher (UU) def. Coone (UNM), 6-3, 6-4
Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2, 6, 5, 4