Lobos Sweep Griz 4-0 in Flagstaff
Box Score | 2019-20 Season Statistics
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico picked up its first 4-0 sweep of the season, cruising in singles with three wins and getting a key doubles win from Natasha Munday and Bronte Murgett in a tiebreak as the Lobos took down the Montana Grizzlies in a neutral site match that was played in Flagstaff, Arizona. The Lobos will stay in Flagstaff to face Northern Arizona at 10 a.m. on Saturday morning.
The Lobos split the opening two doubles matches, with Hsiang-Wen “Albie” Huang and Yue Lin “Polly” Chen playing at No. 3 and winning 6-1 but Sara Kuuttila-Webbert and Myu Kageyama losing for the first time in the spring, losing 6-2. The win for the tandem of Hunag and Chen was their first together, and it was a lineup switch for head coach Vicky Maes, who had to replace Danielle Quevedo, who was held out with an injury. With doubles split, it was up to No. 2 doubles, and the pairing of Munday and Murgett went to a tiebreaker, but UNM took it handily 7-4, giving UNM a 1-0 lead.
“Our group did a great job to win the doubles point to start the match,” said Maes. “We were happy to get that early lead. Montana responded well in singles though and took three out of six first sets to keep us on our toes. However, we fought back hard and played smart to get the matches back in balance.”
In doubles, the two teams split the six opening sets, but UNM was able to clinch the match at 4-0, rebounding from those three lost opening sets to take one and lead in the other two. Munday, fresh off the doubles clincher, gave UNM a 2-0 lead with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Maria Goheen. That win came in her first match at No. 3 singles this season. Kuttiila-Webbert then won 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) at No. 1 over Julia Romney to get UNM within one. That one was picked up by Kageyama, who joined the lineup in singles for the first time this spring, picking up a 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 win.
“Everyone looked good to get individual wins before we clinched. This match was a test to our resolve and we responded well. This was a team win and we’ll take this momentum into tomorrow’s match with NAU,” said Maes.
Chen, also in the lineup for the first time this spring, was up 6-4, 5-5 when the match ended. She was playing at No. 6. Huang at No. 5 singles bounced back from dropping the first set 6-4 to win the second 6-3, and her third set never got going. The other match to go unfinished was at No. 2 with Bronte Murgett tied 2-6, 6-2, 4-4.
The Lobos, now 3-4, face Northern Arizona at 10 a.m. on Saturday.