Complete Results
HARLINGEN, Texas – The third-seeded University of Texas-Pan American Broncs women's tennis team fell to the fifth-seeded Chicago State University Cougars 4-3 in the third place match of the Great West Conference Championship on Sunday at the HEB Tennis Center.
The Cougars (7-17) got off to a strong start with an 8-0 win at No. 1 doubles. The other two matches were extremely competitive, but
Ruta Grinvalde and
Karyn Emeralda edged
Wanda Beguelin and
Dana Nazarova 9-7 to clinch the point.
The Broncs (3-14) nearly pulled it off in singles. Senior
Suncica Strkic made quick work of
Mysta Townsell 6-2, 6-1 at No. 5, and
Blanca Garcia Izaguirre finished moments later, beating
Mia Townsell 6-2, 6-0 at No. 6.
The Cougars tied the match as Grinvalde beat
Cindy Sands 6-2, 6-4 at No. 4.
Beguelin beat
Rosalia Tejoprayitno 6-3, 6-0 at No. 3, but
Rosalina Tejoprayitno got past Nazarova 7-5, 6-2 at No. 2 to again tie the match.
At the No. 1 position, senior
Malin Andersen dropped a tightly contested first set 7-5. In the second set,
Karyn Emeralda won the final two games to beat Andersen 7-5, 6-3.
Andersen graduates with a career record of 15-30 in singles and 14-30 in doubles in three seasons (2009, 2011 and 2012) after red-shirting in 2010.
Strkic went 7-21 in singles and 6-23 in doubles in two years with the Broncs after transferring from Northwestern State.
The University of Texas-Pan American Department of Intercollegiate Athletics competes at the NCAA Division I classification. UTPA, formerly known as Pan American College and Pan American University, is a part of the University of Texas System of Schools. The Broncs compete in 14 varsity sports; men's and women's basketball, golf, tennis, track and field, and cross country, along with women's volleyball and men's baseball. In 1963, then known as Pan American College, the Broncs men's basketball program won the NAIA National Championship with a 73-62 victory over Western Carolina. In 2008 UTPA joined the new all-sports division of the Great West Conference.
