HOUSTON — No. 37 Houston rolled to a 6-1 victory against UTSA on Saturday in the season opener for both teams.
The Cougars (1-0) easily captured the doubles point by winning at the Nos. 2 and 3 positions.
Maria Cardenas and Angelo Lorenzo defeated Irene Gandara Gonzalez and Daniela Garcia-Diaz at the second spot by a score of 6-1 and that was followed by Elena Kordolaimi and Rocio Martin's 6-2 triumph against Lina Hallgren and Nicole Karaklis.
It was all Houston in singles play, as it was able to win five matches, including three by nationally-ranked players in the lineup (No. 21 Despoina Vogasari, No. 52 Kordolaimi, No. 106 Lorenzo).
The lone exception was Karaklis' come-from-behind, three-set victory against Martin at the third position. After dropping the opening stanza, 4-6, the junior from San Antonio rallied to capture a pair of tiebreakers by indentical 7-5 scores.
The Roadrunners (0-1) will return to the courts at 11 a.m. on Sunday at former Southland Conference foe Lamar (0-1).
#37 Houston 6, UTSA 1
Doubles
1. Junger/Shichkova (UTSA) vs. Markovic/Vogasari (UH) 4-3, unfinished
2. Cardenas/Lorenzo (UH) def. Gandara Gonzalez/Garcia-Diaz (UTSA) 6-1
3. Kordolaimi/Martin (UH) def. Hallgren/Karaklis (UTSA) 6-2
Singles
1. #21 Despoina Vogasari (UH) def. Jacobea Junger (UTSA) 6-2, 6-3
2. #52 Elena Kordolaimi (UH) def. Alena Shichkova (UTSA) 6-2, 6-1
3. Nicole Karaklis (UTSA) def. Rocio Martin (UH) 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5
4. Mina Markovic (UH) def. Daniela Garcia-Diaz (UTSA) 6-2, 6-3
5. #106 Angela Lorenzo (UH) def. Lina Hallgren (UTSA) 6-3, 6-2
6. Charlotte Phillips (UH) def. Irene Gandara Gonzalez (UTSA) 6-2, 6-0
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (2,1,4,6,5,3)