LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The Aggies put together a heck of a day on Friday at the NM State Tennis Center as they earned wins over both UTEP and Weatherford College while dropping just one point across the two matches.
Against their I-10 rival, NM State won two of three doubles matches before earning wins in five of six singles matches to claim a 6-1 win and move their win streak to two matches over the Miners.
The afternoon also produced another tally in the win column as the Aggies defeated Weatherford College 7-0.
MATCH ONE | NM State 6, UTEP 1
Doubles
- At the number one position, Anna Pinaieva and Lisa Zhu picked up their fourth doubles win of the season as they earned a commanding 6-1 win over UTEP's Thassane Abrahim and Veronika Lebisova.
- After UTEP evened the score with a doubles win at the number two position, the Aggies' Valeriia Ivanovskaia and Natsuki Nishimura combined to defeat Eve Daniels and Carlotta Mencaglia 6-3 – giving the Aggies a 1-0 lead entering singles action.
Singles
- In her final match against the Miners, senior Bella Nguyen tallied a quick 6-3, 6-0 win over Paloma Hennicaux at the No. 6 spot to put the Aggies two wins away from clinching the match.
- Natsuki Nishimura also earned a 6-3, 6-0 win over UTEP's Thassane Abrahim – marking her fifth singles win of the season.
- The Aggies then clinched the match with a win at the No. 5 position after Miranda Bishard tallied a 6-2, 7-5 win over the Miners' Eve Daniels.
- The remaining three matches reached a third set, beginning with Lisa Zhu at No. 2 who defeated UTEP's Carlotta Mecaglia 6-2 in the opening set before falling 4-6 in the second set. Zhu bounced back in the third set to win the match via a 6-2 win in the third and final set.
- UTEP finally secured its first win at the No. 3 position before Anna Pinaieva managed a 2-6, 6-2, 7-6 (3) win over the Miners' top player in Veronika Lebisova.
MATCH TWO | NM State 7, Weatherford College 0
Doubles
- In the second bout of the day, NM State started with an advantage as Weatherford only fielded four players. The Aggies secured the doubles point only 30 minutes after the start of play as the duo of Natsuki Nishimura and Valeriia Ivanovskaia moved their record as a duo to 4-0 on the season as they defeated Telma Llorenzo Herreros and Marija Ristanovic.
- Moments later, Weatherford's Lina Brandt and Agathe were on the receiving end of a 6-2 loss at the hands of the Aggies' Miranda Bishard and Bella Nguyen.
Singles
- In singles action, Valeriia Ivanovskaia got her first start at the No. 1 position as both Anna Pinaieva and Lisa Zhu rested against the Coyotes. Ivanovskaia took full advantage as she bested Marija Ristanovic 6-0, 6-1 to secure the win for the Aggies.
- NM State continued its success as Miranda Bishard earned a 6-3, 6-0 win over the Coyotes' No. 2 player Agathe Vaillant.
- Bella Nguyen then picked up a 6-4, 6-0 win over Lina Brandt at the No. 3 spot before Dora Kurdi navigated her way to a 7-6, 6-0 win over Telma Llorenzo Herreros to give the Aggies a 7-0 win.
UP NEXT
The Aggies will now take a trip to Tucson, Ariz., to take on a pair of Power Five opponents in Illinois and Arizona. The trip to the Grand Canyon State will also mark the Aggies' final matches before entering WAC play against Utah Tech on March 17 at home.
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