LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The New Mexico State women's tennis team dropped a heartbreaker on Saturday to UMKC at the NM State Tennis Center 4-3.
 
The loss was the first time NM State had lost to the 'Roos since joining the Western Athletic Conference. The win moved the Aggies to 5-8 on the year and 1-1 in WAC play while UMKC moved to 7-7 overall and 2-0 in WAC play.
 
Rimpledeep Kaur and Marie-Pier Thiffault were the first to finish; beating out UMKC's No. 2 doubles pair by score of 6-3. Lindsay Harlas and Gabrielle Joyce couldn't fend off their foes on court No. 3 and fell 6-3, which set up the deciding point on court No. 1.
 
After a back-and-forth battle for the lead, Vanessa Valdez and Rebecca Keijzerwaard gave way to UMKC's top doubles team – which gave the 'Roos the doubles point.
 
Kaur came out firing on all cylinders in action and quickly dispatched UMKC's Aliona Ladutska 6-4, 6-3. ­­­Valdez gave NM State its first lead when she defeated her opponent 6-1, 6-3 at No. 2 singles. The 'Roos tied things back up at 2-2 when Elizabeth Geronimo was bested by Thanushree Vale 7-6, 6-2 at No. 6 singles.
 
UMKC retook the lead, 3-2, when Eli Arnaudova was bested on court No. 5 6-1, 7-6. Keijzerwaard knotted the match up at 3-3 soon after when she ousted Mariam Kurasbediani 6-3, 1-6, 6-3. Despite battling back in the second set to force a third, Harlas was unable to clinch match point for NM State as she fell 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.
 
The Aggies will now wrap up the three-day WAC pod action this Sunday, March 19, at noon against UT Rio Grande Valley.