ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico women’s tennis team finished the Lobo Invitational today and kept their perfect streak in singles play.
The Lobos took on The University of Texas at El Paso in singles and Northern Arizona University in doubles this morning at McKinnon Family Tennis Stadium. Ruth Copas and Rachana Bhat both finished their matches in the first two sets. Copas defeated Visscher 6-2, 6-0 and Bhat defeated Hayward 6-4, 6-2.
Sharon Coone didn’t score in her first set, but she came back to battle in the second and third to win the match. She defeated Tench 0-6, 6-2, 6-1.
LeBlanc lost the first set 6-7 after it went to a tiebreaker. The she came back to win the second and third set against Wagenvoort.
Olivier battled through two tiebreakers: one to decide the first set and one to decide the third, also deciding the match. She fell short in the first tiebreaker, but came back to win the second set. In the third set tiebreaker she went back and forth with Kulicke point for point and came out victorious.
“We definitely play for each other,” said Olivier. “I like hearing my teammates cheering me on. It helps me know that they believe in me and it makes me want to win for them. All that energy is good.”
Her teammates lined up on the court beside hers and cheered her on during her final set and tiebreaker.
In double’s play, Olivier and LeBlanc took on Szavay and Lodewijks of Northern Arizona University and played tough, but fell short 6-3.
The duo of Bhat and Ludivine Burguiere also took on a pair from NAU and clinched a 6-4 win.
“This tournament is a really great opportunity for us to play simultaneously as teammates and get a feel for what the energy is going to be like when we head into the dual match season,” said head coach Kelcy McKenna. “For Ruth and our three new ones it’s nice to have them all play at once to have them get a taste of what it’s going to be like in Spring.”
She noted that her player’s willingness to work together and play long points is really encouraging for her as a coach.
Women’s Tennis Match Scores:
Olivier (UNM) def. Kulicke (UTEP) 6-7 (3), 6-2, 7-6 (5)
Leblanc (UNM) def. Wagenvoort (UTEP) 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4
Copas (UNM) def. Visscher (UTEP) 6-2, 6-0
Coone (UNM) def. Tench (UTEP) 0-6, 6-2, 6-1
Burguiere (UNM) def. Bennett (UTEP) 6-4, 6-2
Bhat (UNM) def. Hayward (UTEP) 6-4, 6-2
Szavay/Lodewijks (NAU) def. Olivier/Leblanc (UNM) 6-3
Bhat/Burguiere (UNM) def. Brown/Granville (NAU) 6-4
Women’s Tennis Finishes Perfect in Singles Play
