HOUSTON, Texas --- Yu Yun "Kathy" Tsai, a freshman from Chinese Taipei, is generally regarded as the quietest Lobo on the women's tennis squad.
Her game certainly isn't quiet.
Tsai teamed up with Bente Vandeputte for a 7-5 clinching doubles win, and then executed a comeback from a set down to clinch a 4-3 come-from-behind victory over UTRGV, moving the Lobos to 3-0 on the season. The Lobos will face Houston tomorrow morning.
Tsai, the Mountain West Freshman of the Week after opening her dual match career with four wins, added two more dramatically. Even at 5-5 in doubles and with the doubles already split 1-1, all eyes were on her and Vandeputte, and after serving to go up 6-5, they broke Mariia Bakhtina and Rhea Makesar for the 7-5 win. That win, coupled with a 6-4 win for Lea Maladra and Ana Veroux, made it 1-0 Lobos.
In singles, things certainly didn't start in UNM's favor. Vandeputte at No. 1 singles, Vianca Corley at No. 2 singles, Verous at No. 3, Tsai at No. 4, and Malazdra at No. 5 all lost their opening sets. Only Ramona Petre picked up a first-set lead, topping Madeleine Joffe 7-5.
UTRGV's Barbara Martinez took down Vandepuute in straight sets, but Petre followed for UNM, finishing off Joffe 7-5, 6-4.
That made it 2-1, but both Corley and Malazdra lost in straight sets, and suddenly it was 3-2 Vaqueros. However, Veroux battled back against Makesar, winning her second set 6-4 to even her match at 1-1, and Tsai won 6-2 in the second over Bakhtina.
The Lobos needed them both and got them both. Veroux's match was closer on the scoreboard, and she finished first with a 6-4 third-set win to square all of it at 3-3. That put UNM in the driver's seat, with Tsai comfortably ahead, and she finished her match 6-1, giving UNM a wild win.
NOTES: Petre moved to 9-3 on the season in singles, and Tsai is now 8-5 ... Tsai leads UNM with nine doubles wins.