Lobos Put Perfect Season on the Line with Three Matches in Four Days

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — If you go through the latest ITA Top 75 computer rankings, there is one unbeaten team listed: No. 1 Oklahoma State, sitting at 13-0.  Missing is the unbeaten New Mexico Lobos, who made a cursory appearance at No. 75 two weeks ago, went 3-0 and somehow slipped out of the rankings.  Now UNM is trying to get back, starting tomorrow.

For the second time in three weeks, the Lobos will be putting their perfect record on the line three times, twice on the road as UNM travels to take on a pair of talented Big Sky teams in Montana and Montana State before coming home for three final non-conference matchup of the season, a 10 am home match with rival New Mexico State.

The Lobos have won five of their nine matches away from home, including three indoors.  That will be important as the matches in Montana will be inside as the temperate in Missoula and Bozeman will barely get above freezing.  UNM had last week off, which was a welcome respite after playing three matches in three days, including two on the road in the same day.  Those matches both went to UNM 4-0, over UC Riverside and UC Irvine.

Seven Lobo singles players will enter the weekend with winning streaks, which is pretty good when you remember only six players play in a lineup.  The two longest streaks are currently held by Maud Vandeputte, who has won five straight, and Leonie Hoppe, who has won four.  It then makes complete sense that both Vandeputte and Hoppe lead the team with 13 singles wins.

In doubles, Hoppe and Katherine Jhang have six straight wins and Maria Sodre and Hsuan Huang have won four straight.

Montana is sitting at 2-8 on the season but 1-0 in the Big Sky, and Montana State is 6-4 overall and 0-2 in the Big Sky.  UNM will then return home for New Mexico State, which is 3-7 but coming off a 5-2 win over Abilene Christian.