EL PASO, Texas – The UTSA women's tennis team battled to its first win of the season and in conference, defeating UTEP, 4-3, on Friday.
Despite automatically losing the No. 3 doubles spot due to not being able to field enough players, the Roadrunners battled at the first two courts to win both and get a crucial point to start the match. At the No. 1 court. Aleksandra Zlatarova and Alexandra Weir defeated UTEP's duo of Veronika Lebisova and Thassane Abrahim by 6-4. Then, Magda Tuells and Fatima Gutierrez battled with Carlotta Mencaglia and Eve Daniels of the Miners at the No. 2 spot, coming out victorious by a final score of 7-5 to secure UTSA the doubles point.
The game was tied at one apiece from UTSA losing the sixth spot due to having no player to compete. From here, the Roadrunners went to work to win points at No. 3, No. 1 and finally No. 2 to clinch the win. At the No, 3 court, Gutierrez defeated UTEP's Zuzanna Szczepanska by set scores of 6-3 and 6-2. Then, Zlatarova battled with the Miners' top player Lebisova to three sets, ultimately coming out victorious by set scores of 6-0, 2-6 and 6-2. At the No. 2 spot, Weir and Mencaglia toiled through three intense sets, but Weir had the upper hand to defeat Mencaglia (6-3, 6-7, 7-5) and clinch the winning point for UTSA.
The teams continued through the final two courts, instead of playing to clinch. At the fifth court, Eva Beyebach fell in two sets, 2-6 and 5-7, to UTEP's Elena Dibattista. No. 4 was the final court to finish as Tuells took Abrahim to three sets, but ultimately fell by scores of 6-7, 6-3, 4-10. UTSA clinched the 4-3 victory over UTEP on Friday afternoon.
"Good solid win for the team today," head coach Ki Kroll said. "UTEP was tough and winning the doubles point became key. We'll need to bring the same intensity tomorrow at New Mexico State. Birds Up!"
UP NEXT: The Roadrunners head up the road to face New Mexico State on Saturday at 1 p.m. (MT)/2 p.m. (CT).
-UTSA-
