Women's Tennis Rolls On With 4-0 Win Over USU

LOGAN, Utah — The ice cream always tastes better after a road win.  The Lobo women’s tennis team punctuated a 4-0 win with a trip to a local ice cream shop in Logan, and while yes, the ice cream was phenomenal, the Lobo women’s tennis team is that much better.

And that’s saying something because that ice cream is really superb.

Yet so are the Lobos, and there is no masking or hiding it at this point.  UNM got three quick singles wins after a doubles sweep, and Sarah O’Connor won her second straight match clincher as New Mexico downed Utah State 4-0 in Logan on Saturday, running its record to a gaudy 16-1 overall and 5-0 in the Mountain West.  UNM is the lone unbeaten team in the league with just four matches to go over the next three weeks.

O’Connor, who won a tens clincher against Boise State on Thursday, didn’t have quite the drama, although she was tied 5-5 before getting a late service break for a 6-3, 7-5 win.  That gave UNM the 4-0 victory.

Hsuan Huang, who keyed Thursday’s comeback with a come-from-behind 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 win, needed a tiebreak win to get going against Lisa Kung, but she won going away 7-6 (7-3), 6-4.  The other point was picked up by Maud Vandeputte, who won 6-2, 6-3 over Magdelena Pureco.  The Lobos as per their usual swept the doubles point with Katherine Jhang and Leonie Hoppe winning 6-3 at No. 1 and Maria Sodre and Huang winning 6-4 at No. 2.

The Lobos, who went a perfect 3-0 on their two-week road trip, now return home for three straight, with two this week.  UNM hosts Nevada on Friday at noon at McKinnon before hosting nationally-ranked San Diego State in a pair of key Mountain West matchups.

NOTES: Due to only four courts, Leonie Hoppe was denied a shot at her 20th singles win of the season … Maud’s win was her 18th, good for second on the team … Hoppe and Jhang are now 13-1 in dual matches in doubles … Huang won her 65th career doubles match, moving her ahead of Alicia Meraz for 13th all-time at UNM.