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Women Win Third Straight, Topple Boise State 4-1

by Frank Mercogliano

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — New Mexico continued its tear, winning a third straight to move to 10-5 overall and 3-3 in the Mountain West, defeating Boise State 4-1 in a neutral site match in Colorado Springs.  The Lobos picked up the clinching win from Leonie Hoppe, who finished off a big week for her and she won both her singles matches on the week.

UNM rolled through doubles with Hoppe and Katherine Jhang getting a 6-2 win at No. 1 doubles and Maud Vandeputte and Hsuan Huang winning 6-4 at No. 2 doubles.  That set the stage for singles, where UNM got the come-from-behind win from Hoppe when it needed it.

The Lobos bolted to a 3-1 lead on the strength of wins from Huang at No. 5 singles (winning 6-4, 6-2 over Shauna Heffernan) and Jhang, who won 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 over Lorelyz Marruffo at No. 2 singles.  UNM’s lone loss was at No. 6 where Maria Sodre lost a three-setter 3-6, 6-1, 6-3 to Nicole Discenza.

Up 3-1, all three remaining matches were in a third set, with both Hoppe and Sarah O’Connor bouncing back from opening set losses to force thirds.  With O’Connor tied at 2-2, and with Vandeputte up 3-2, Hoppe clinched it with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 win, moving UNM into potential Mountain West Tournament quarterfinal territory, as the top five teams in the league earn byes into the quarters.

UNM travels next week to take on San Jose State in San Jose before facing Nevada as well.  Those matches are Saturday and Sunday.

NOTES:  Huang moved to 15-8 overall in singles, and she and Vandeputte are now 15-3 overall as a tandem in doubles … UNM is 31-8 in doubles in the spring and 42-26 in singles.