Jhang Clinches Win Over No. 58 Fresno State
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — New Mexico’s Katherine Jhang had threechances to clinch a Lobo victory in the second set, and couldn’t quite seal the deal. She made darn sure the fourth time was the charm. Jhang hit a picture perfect passing shot on Matilde Magrini to earn a thrilling 6-4, 6-7 (7-9), 6-1 victory, clinching UNM’s first conference win of the season, beating Fresno State 4-3 at McKinnon Family Tennis Stadium.
The win was UNM’s first over the Bulldogs since a 6-1 win in 2013, and it marked UNM’s second win of the season over a ranked team, as UNM also has a 4-3 road win over No. 64 Northern Arizona. Fresno State entered the match No. 58. The win marks UNM’s first season with two ranked wins since 2015.
Up 3-1 on the strength of a doubles point sweep and wins by Hsuan Huang (6-3, 6-3) and Maria Sodre (6-0, 6-2), UNM lost a pair of tense matches that both featured opening set 7-4 tiebreaker losses. Sarah O’Connor at No. 1 played a terrific match against Pang Jittakoat, the 2022 MW Player of the Year. O’Connor, in her first season at No. 1, lost 7-6 (7-4), 7-5, playing perhaps her best match of the season. That set the tone for UNM, which played well on Friday but fell short to Air Force. There was no falling short on Sunday.
After O’Connor and Vandeputte both lost to tie the match at 3-3, Jhang went to a second set tiebreaker after winning the opening set 6-4. Jhang had Magrini on the ropes with two match points at 6-4 and 6-5, but she couldn’t clinch either. Eventually, Magrini won the set 9-7, but the third was all Jhang, who broke the first and third games, bolting to a commanding 4-0 lead.
Jhang, sensing a victory serving up 4-1, continuously moved Magrini around the back court after falling down love-30 in the sixth. Up 5-1, Jhang earned a shot at four break points. Up love-40, Jhang’s drop shot at the net ticked the net, putting the celebration on hold for a brief moment. That moment didn’t have to wait long. on the next service, after a pair of volleys, Magrini approaced the net, and Jhang hit a passing shot that was out of Magrini’s reach that landed safely in the back corner, touching off a wild celebration as UNM won its home finale.
The Lobos now head to Colorado Springs to face off with Utah State on Friday and Boise State on Saturday.
NOTES: The win was UNM’s highest-ranked opponent since 1/29/2015 when UNM beat No. 51 Houston 5-2 … UNM is now just 5-13 against Fresno State all-time … Jhang is now 8-2 in the spring.