ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The New Mexico Lobos played some of their best tennis of the season, but it just wasn’t enough as Minnesota edged UNM 4-3, getting the decisive point after two-hour thriller at No. 4 singles.
The match was UNM’s first home match of the season after opening the first six weeks away from home, dropping nine of 10 matches. It looked like the home court was just what UNM needed, winning the doubles point for the first time this season, despite falling behind 1-0. Ruth Copas and Cassie Chung took a 6-4 win at No. 3 doubles, and then Diana Wong served out her match with teammate Emily Olivier 7-5 to give UNM a 1-0 lead.
Then, UNM went 2-0 as Dominique Dulski looked like the Dulski of old, winning 6-2, 6-3 taking six of the final seven games to win it. Ludivine Burguiere lost at No. 1 singles 6-2, 6-3, playing with a brace on her right hand, but Diana Wong continued her hot play with a solid 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 5 singles, giving UNM a 3-1 lead.
Minnesota cut it to 3-3 with a 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 6 over Rachana Bhat, and a 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 2 singles over Ruth Copas. That left it to Chung at No. 4 singles. She dropped the opening set 6-1, and was down 4-3 in the second but battled back to take it 7-5, setting up a winner take all third set against Annemarie Emme.
Emme served first and held, and then broke Chung in the second game, winning the deuce point. Up 3-0, the match stayed on serve until 5-2, when Emme against won the deuce point to clinch the match.
New Mexico dropped to 1-10 and Minnesota improved to 8-5. The Lobos host Northern Arizona on Tuesday in a match as the back end of a doubleheader with the men. The men’s match will start at 11 a.m. and the women’s match will start no earlier than 1 p.m.
Lobos Nipped 4-3 in Home Opener, Host NAU Tuesday
