HOUSTON — UTSA battled back from a pair of early deficits and the Roadrunners rallied past UTEP by a score of 4-2 in Thursday's opening round of the Conference USA Tournament. The victory was UTSA's first in postseason play since the 2009 campaign.
The Miners (12-5) jumped out to an early lead by cruising to the doubles point.
After Jeannez Daniel and Davina Meza blanked Jacobea Junger and Miriam Rosell Canudas at the top spot, Duda Santos and Matilda Tench put UTEP up with their 8-4 triumph against Nicole Karaklis and Alena Shichkova on the court No. 2.
The Roadrunners (11-12) knotted things up when Lina Hallgren came off the fifth singles court with a 6-1, 6-4 victory against Daphne Visscher, but the Miners reclaimed the advantage following Daniel's 6-0, 7-5 win against Shichkova at the third spot in the lineup.
However, it was all UTSA after that.
Irene Gandara Gonzalez downed Tench in straight sets, 7-6 (8-6), 6-3, on court No. 6 and Karaklis followed suit with a 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 triumph against Lois Wagenvoort at the fourth position.
Rosell Canudas finished off the comeback victory by holding off Meza in three sets (6-3, 2-6, 6-3) on court one and that gave the Roadrunners their first postseason victory since April 25, 2009, against Lamar at the Southland Conference Tournament. It also was the sophomore's team-leading 15th win of the spring and she now has come out on top in 12 of her last 14 outings.
UTSA will take on No. 2 seed and 60th-ranked Marshall (14-9) at 8 a.m. in Friday's quarterfinal round. It will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools.
UTSA 4, UTEP 2
Doubles
1. Daniel/Meza (UTEP) def. Junger/Rosell Canudas (UTSA) 8-0
2. Santos/Tench (UTEP) def. Karaklis/Shichkova (UTSA) 8-4
3. Visscher/Wagenvoort (UTEP) vs. Garcia-Diaz/Hallgren (UTSA) 6-2, unfinished
Singles
1. Miriam Rosell Canudas (UTSA) def. Davina Meza (UTEP) 6-3, 2-6, 6-3
2. Duda Santos (UTEP) vs. Jacobea Junger (UTSA) 7-5, 2-6, 4-2, unfinished
3. Jeannez Daniel (UTEP) def. Alena Shichkova (UTSA) 6-0, 7-5
4. Nicole Karaklis (UTSA) def. Lois Wagenvoort (UTEP) 7-6 (7-5), 6-3
5. Lina Hallgren (UTSA) def. Daphne Visscher (UTEP) 6-1, 6-4
6. Irene Gandara Gonzalez (UTSA) def. Matilda Tench (UTEP) 7-6 (8-6), 6-3
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (5,3,6,4,1)