ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —The New Mexico Lobos tennis team has dropped the doubles point in each of the first eight matches of the season, but it never really factored into the final score. On Saturday, it did.
The doubles point did UNM in as the Lobos and Matadors of Cal State Northridge split six singles matches, but a 2-1 advantage in the doubles point gave CSN a 4-3 win. The loss dropped UNM to 1-8, all of those matches away from Albuquerque.
UNM fell behind 1-0 after dropping two of three doubles matches. UNM actually opened doubles with a win at No. 2 with Emily Olivier and Diana Wong winning 6-3, but UNM lost both at No. 1 and then at No. 3 6-4. That gave the Matadors a 1-0 lead.
They took a 2-0 lead after a win at No. 6 singles, but Ruth Copas, playing at No. 1 for the first time in her career, cut it to 2-1 with a 6-1, 6-3 win. Copas was playing at No. 1 as she was moved up after Ludivine Burguiere and Andrea Leblanc were both held out. For Burguiere, it was her first misses match of the season after a wrist injury.
The Matadors took a 3-1 lead after a win at No. 3 singles, but UNM roared back. Diana Wong picked up a second straight win with a 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 4 singles, and then Rachana Bhat picked up her fourth win in five matches 7-5, 6-2 to make it 3-3.
That left it to No. 2 singles, where Dominique Dulski, having to play despite an injury, battled into a third set before falling 6-2, 2-6, 6-2.
UNM takes on UC Santa Barbara at 11 a.m. Mountain Time on Sunday to conclude its season opening 10-match road swing.
Lobos Drop 4-3 Decision to Cal State Northridge
