Lobos Drop Tight One at CSU 4-3

FORT COLLINS, Colo. — UNM couldn’t force a third set for the final point it needed, as CSU rebounded from a 3-1 deficit for a 4-3 victory, handing UNM its first conference loss of the season.

The Lobos took a 1-0 lead with a doubles point win, coupling a 6-4 win by Rebekkah Gaines and Maria Sodre at No. 1 doubles along with a free half of the doubles point when Colorado State didn’t field a No. 3 doubles team.

That pushed the lead to 2-0 as CSU forfeited at No. 6 singles, meaning UNM needed just two more singles wins, but the team couldn’t get there.  Maud Vandeputte took a win at No. 1 singles over Sarah Weekley 6-4, 6-0, which made it 3-1, but even with the lead, UNM was going to need a comeback victory in one of the remaining singles matches as UNM dropped the first sets at Nos. 2, 3, and 4 singles.

In the end, tiebreakers got the Lobos.  The match went 3-2 when Sarah O’Connor lost 6-2, 7-6 (7-5).  Maria Sodre lost 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 and Gaines lost 7-6 (8-6), 6-4.

The Lobos finally return home after an eight-match stretch away from Albuquerque as UNM hosts Utah State on Friday at 11 am before heading back out on the road to take on UNLV at noon on Sunday.