ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — In an epic match that was decided by the thinnest of margins, the slight edge ended up with Gonzaga as the Bulldogs took a 4-3 match that bordered on four hours and featured ebbs and flows all over the place. The Lobos went 2-1 on the homestanding weekend to move to 2-3 overall and UNM hosts Colorado on Saturday, February 8 at 10:30 am and Weber State on Sunday, February 9 at 11 am.
The two teams split six singles matches, but the all-important, and it turned out, necessary doubles point went the way of Gonzaga, sweeping two matches, although UNM was on the cusp of a win.
From there it went to singles, and after splitting the six opening sets, it was clear UNM would need a three-set win somewhere. Turned out they needed two. Maud Vandeputte continued what is turning into another strong season with a 6-3, 6-1 win at No. 2 over Rose Hayes. The win pushed her to 3-0 in singles on the week, all at No. 1 or No. 2. That made it 1-1, but Rebekkah Gaines, who didn’t play yesterday, lost 6-2, 6-4 at No. 1 to Emily Robertson to give Gonzaga a 2-1 lead.
The final straight set win went to Sarah O’Connor at No. 3 singles, a solid 6-2, 7-5 win to make it 2-2. The match of the day also went straight sets, but it went to Gonzaga. at No. 4 singles, Ella Nielsen beat Maria Matsoukatidi 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (9-7), winning both sets in tiebreakers to make it 3-2. Sofia Taborga retied it for a third time with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 win at No. 6 against Lia Espinal.
That left everything to No. 5 singles where Maria Sodre and Brooke Bittner put on an exciting finish. Bittner won her first set easily at 6-1, by Sodre bounced back for a 7-5 second set. Down 4-3 in the third, Sodre earned a break, was broken back and faced a duece point at 5-4 for Bittner for the match. Sodre’s return was on the line and ruled in by the umpire, giving UNM a save of match point and moving the set to 5-5. However, after three straight breaks, Bittner broke Sodre for a fourth striaght break, winning on another duece point. Up 40-15 with three match points, Sodre was able to hit a cross court winner to save a second match point, but she couldn’t get a good return on a volley from Bittner, ending the match and giving Gonzaga an exhausting 4-3 win.