Chen Does It Again, Clinches Rivalry Win Over Aggies

EL PASO, Texas — Yue Lin “Polly” Chen has proven to be a clutch player, and that came through once again, bouncing back from an opening set loss to win the final two 7-5 and 7-5, giving the Lobos a 4-3 victory over New Mexico State in a match played in El Paso at the El Paso Swim & Tennis Club.

The win improved the Lobos to 4-1 on the season, already more wins than the team had in a COVID-shortened 2020 season when the Lobos were just 3-7.  The win was also the 38th victory over New Mexico State (to just seven losses), and UNM will now face UTSA in El Paso on Friday at 11 a.m. Mountain Time.  UNM’s match was originally to be against UTEP, but they can not play due to contract tracing within their team.  UNM is 10-0 all-time against UTSA, which is 2-4 this season.

Chen’s clinching win came after New Mexico State tied the match at 3-3 with a three-set win at No. 3 singles.  Much like clinching win at No. 2 singles a week ago in a 4-3 win over Abilene Christian, Chen bounced back after dropping her opening set.  She defeated NMSU’s Chloe Gavino 7-5 and 7-5 to clinch the win.

UNM’s biggest win outside of Chen might have been in doubles at No. 2 where Natasha Munday and Danielle Quevedo won a tiebreaker over Gavino and Bella Nyugen 7-6 (7-4) to take the all-important doubles point.  Myy Kagayama and Satoho Toriumi won their match at No. 3 doubles 6-2 for the other doubles win that was needed.

UNM’s other singles wins were by those same two, as Toriumi won by withdrawl and Kagayama won 6-4, 6-3 at No. 4.  That win gave UNM a 3-2 lead.

NOTES: Chen is now 4-0 in singles this season, and 33-10 over the last three seasons … UNM’s lineup was shuffled when Hsuan Huang didn’t compete in singles.  She was originally slated for No. 3 singles.