2018 UNM Halloween Classic Schedule
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The Lobo women’s tennis team started the 2018 UNM Halloween Classic in solid fashion, picking up 15 wins on the day over two doubles matches and two singles matches. The Lobos overall went 4-1 in their two doubles matches against Iowa State and Illinois State, and that was followed shortly after with an 8-4 mark in singles against New Mexico State and Colorado State.
The 2018 UNM Halloween Classic features five teams with Colorado State, New Mexico State, Iowa State and Illinois State joining UNM. The teams pair up for doubles matches in the morning and then the teams switch to play singles against different teams. The tournament is taking place at the McKinnon Family Tennis Stadium and the Estes Tennis Center.
“Our team did a terrific job today. We showed a lot of improvement in our doubles play and made some significant progress in singles too,” said UNM assistant coach Vicky Maes. “The team is buying in and it shows. It helps to play at home, of course, but you still have to come to the courts every time and compete your heart out.”
UNM opened the day with a great start, going 2-1 in doubles against Iowa State. Ruth Copas and Yue Lin “Polly” Chen took on Karen Alvarez and Caroline Gibbens and came away with a 6-2 win. Following that, Bronte Murgett and Natasha Munday defeated Ekaterina Grib and Regina Espindola 6-4. The only team that fell short for UNM was the tandem of Danielle Quevedo and Hsiang-Wen “Albie” Huang, who lost a back-and-forth match with Maty Cancini and Annabella Bonadonna 7-5.
UNM followed that doubles matchup by turning around and taking on Illinois State, winning the only two doubles matches played to run the teams’ record to 4-1 on the day. UNM switched up the pairing with Copas teaming with Quevedo for a 6-2 win over Tara Damnjanovic and Natalia Bravo. The only other doubles match was Munday and Lauren Rich, who also won 6-2 over Laura Fitzgerald and Jana Kustkova.
After a break, the tournament switched to singles with UNM playing against Colorado State and New Mexico State, with UNM dominating. UNM went 4-1 in singles against Colorado State, with UNM taking flights two through five. Huang picked up a win at two against Alyssa Grivala in the only three-setter of the pairing, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3. At three, Murgett easily handled Riley Reeves 6-0, 6-0. Quevedo picked up a straight set win at No. 4 6-4, 6-4 over Emma Corwin and Munday grabbed a 7-6, 6-1 win at No. 5 over Emily Kolbow. UNM’s only loss was at No. 1 when CSU’s Emily Luetschwager defeated Ruth Copas 6-1, 6-2.
UNM finished the day with New Mexico State, taking four of six single matches. Copas avenged her earlier loss with a 6-0, 2-6, 7-6 (7-4) win over Lindsay Harlas. Murgett played at No. 2 and won 7-6, 6-1 over Harsha Challa and Quevedo earned her fourth win over the day with a 6-3, 6-4 win at No. 3 over Neus Torregrosa. UNM’s other win over New Mexico State was Chen winning 6-3, 6-0 over Yadira Rubio. Munday nearly made it five wins but she fell in three sets 6-2, 1-6, 3-6 to Gavi Kalaga. The other match that didn’t go UNM’s way was at No. 6 as Lauren Rich was defeated 6-3, 6-1 against Clara Rizea.
Due to an injury, UNM’s Maddie Chavez was able to fill in and get a match in, falling to Rizea of New Mexico State 6-3, 6-3.
Maes added, “I felt really proud to be there in the trenches with them. We have clear goals for this weekend and tomorrow is no different: lots of heart and better in those areas we came up short in today, never satisfied, and always looking to improve.”
Tomorrow UNM will play again at McKinnon starting with doubles at 8:30 am against New Mexico State and then against Colorado State at 9:30 am. UNM in singles will play Iowa State at 12:30 pm and Illinois State at 3 p.m., with all of those matches at McKinnon. Admission is free for fans to come out and support the Lobos in the final home match until the spring semester.
DOUBLES:
UNM vs. Iowa St.
Bonadonna/Cancini d. Quevedo/Huang 7-5
Murgett/Munday d. Grib/Espindola 6-4
Copas/Chen d. Alvarez/Gibbens 6-2
UNM vs. ISU
Copas/Quevedo d. Damnjanovic/Bravo 6-2
Munday/Rich d. FitzGerald/ Kustkova 6-2
SINGLES
UNM vs. Colorado St.
Luetschwager d. Copas 6-1, 6-2
Huang d. Grijalva 6-2, 4-6, 6-3
Murgett d. Reeves 6-0, 6-0
Quevedo d. Corwih 6-4, 6-4
Munday d. Kolbow 7-6, 6-1
UNM vs. NMSU
Copas vs. Harlas 6-0, 2-6, 7-6 (4)
Murgett d. Challa 7-6, 6-1
Quevedo d. Torregrosa 6-3, 6-4
Kalaga d. Munday 2-6, 6-1, 6-3
Chen d. Rubio 6-3, 6-0
Rizea d. Rich 6-3, 6-1
Rizea d. Chavez 6-3, 6-3 (match played during NMSU/Illinois State match due to injury)