ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico women’s tennis team hosted its fifth match of the season today against No. 51 Utah. The Lobos battled Utah and pulled off its second upset of the season.
In doubles play, Andrea Leblanc and Ruth Copas made quick work of their opponents at the number two position and beat them 6-1.
Emily Olivier and Dominique Dulski played at the number one position against Margo Pletcher and Brianna Turley. The two fought hard, but fell 6-3.
The double’s point came down to the match at the number three position where Rachana Bhat and Ludivine Burguiere took on Utah’s Taylor Calton and Luisa Da Rosa. The two battled as both teams cheered on, but New Mexico fell behind and lost 6-3.
In singles play, Burguiere was first to put a point on the board for the Lobos when she topped Jena Cheng 6-1, 6-0. She competed at the number four position. This win leaves her undefeated in singles play so far this Spring season.
Copas competed at the number five position against Calton. She fell to Utah 6-2, 6-3. Shortly after, Bhat defeated her opponent 6-4, 6-3. This win would tie the match up at 2 points all.
The three matches remaining were the matches at the number one, two and three positions. All three Lobos battled to three sets.
Dulski was next to finish against Turley at the number three positon. She was down in the first set, but battled her way back to win 6-2. She fell in the second set 5-3. In the third, she fought back and won the third set 6-2 wining her match.
At the number two positon, Olivier lost the first set 6-2. She came back in the second to top Richter 6-4. She lead most of the third set and kept her momentum to win 6-4, winning her match and clinching the match point for New Mexico.
Leblanc played against Utah’s Pletcher at the number one position. In the first set the two battled the set to a tiebreaker. In the tiebreaker, the two players went point for point until Utah pulled ahead. Pletcher won the tiebreaker 8-6 and the first set 7-5. In the second set, Leblanc made an exciting turn around as she quickly defeated Utah 6-1.
In the third set, Leblanc was leading 4-1 when Olivier clinched the match win. She played out the rest of her match and ended up winning the set 6-3. This win put New Mexico’s score at five to Utah’s two.
“Today was a highly competitive match and I am thrilled with the overall effort from start to finish,” said head coach Kelcy McKenna. “After Utah won the doubles point, the girls did an exceptional job of coming together and believing in one another to finish the match and clinch the win.”
The women’s tennis team is taking on Wichita State and Kansas next weekend as they head to Lawrence, Kansas.
Photo: Di-Linh Hoang, New Mexico Daily Lobo
Lobos Pull Off Second Upset of the Season
