EL PASO, Texas – Going against a pair of Division I opponents, the Western New Mexico University women’s tennis team fought hard before falling to the University of Texas-El Paso, 6-1, and the University of Texas-Pan American, 4-0, Thursday evening.
In the first match against the Lady Miners, UTEP swept doubles play to earn the point winning each match, 6-0. In singles, Tiffany Newell (Las Vegas, NV/Silverado ) came away with a solid 6-2, 4-6, 11-9 victory at No. 6. Two other Lady Mustangs went three sets. Ganna Tiurina (Kiev, Ukraine/M.M. Gromov #227) won the first set, 6-4, but then dropped the final two sets, 2-6, 0-6 at the top flight. Claudia Osuna (Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico/Tec Milenio ) at No. 4 dropped the first set, 1-6, but then came back to claim a 6-3 second set before falling in the decisive third set, 3-10. Ashley Newell (Las Vegas, NV/Silverado) nearly won a set at No. 3 taking the first set to a tiebreaker before falling, 6-7, 0-6. Annica Betz (Celle, Germany/Kaiserin Auguste Viktoria Gymnasium) at No. 2 fell, 3-6, 0-6, while Pauline Emin (Viry, France/Lycee Arbez Carme) fell at No. 5, 0-6, 0-6.
Later in the day against Texas-Pan American, the Lady Broncs took the 4-0 victory. In doubles, Tiurina/Betz came close at the top flight before a 6-8 setback. Ashley Newell (Las Vegas, NV/Silverado)/Diamond Morrill (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) also came close to posting a win at No. 2 before a 5-8 loss. Osuna/Emin played at No. 3 and their match was unfinished as UTPA had already claimed the doubles point.
In singles, Tiurina won five games at No. 1 before a 3-6, 2-6 loss and Ashley Newell (Las Vegas, NV/Silverado) at No. 3 grabbed four games before a 4-6, 0-6 loss. Tiffany Newell (Las Vegas, NV/Silverado ) at No. 6 fell in straight sets 0-6, 0-6 to end the match with the Lady Broncs taking the 4-0 victory. Betz had won five games at No. 2, Osuna tallied three at No. 4 and Emin five at No. 5 when the match was decided.
WNMU is now 5-11 on the season and will have time off before their next matches take place on Apr. 3 in Denver as they open RMAC play against Montana State-Billings and Colorado Christian.
