Support UTPA Women's Tennis

EDISON, New Jersey – The University of Texas-Pan American Broncs women's tennis team (4-11) opens up the National Invitation Tennis Tournament, hosted by NJIT, on Saturday when they face the Northern Kentucky University Norse (1-17) at 8:30 a.m. and the Chicago State University Cougars (5-17) at 1 p.m. at Thomas Edison Park.
 
The Broncs
Some mid-season changes to the Broncs' singles lineup have paid major dividends, as the Broncs are now winners of three of their last four matches. After Dana Nazarova started the season 0-7 at No. 1, she was moved to No. 2, where she is 4-4. Didi Fatchikova started the season 0-4, but is no 4-4 at No. 1. Wanda Beguelin has found success at No. 3, going 5-5, after going 1-4 at No. 4, while Manon Lavrijssen is 4-3 at No. 4 after going 0-3 at No. 2 and 0-5 at No. 3. Reegan Greenwood is 4-4 at No. 5 and 2-4 at No. 6.
 
Scouting the Norse
The Norse lost each of their first 17 matches by an aggregate score of 113-1. The Norse's lone point came at singles in their second match on Feb. 17 against Western Kentucky, when Mart Romeo won her singles match in a super tiebreaker at No. 2.
 
The Norse, however, are coming off of a 4-3 win over Walsh on April 17.
 
For the season, the Norse are 2-43 in dual doubles play (.044), with both wins coming at No. 2, one by Romeo and Shana Kleynen, the other by Holly Robinson and Claire Spradlin. The Norse are 5-101 (.047) in dual singles. Romeo has two wins at No. 2 to lead the Norse. Three others have one win each.
 
The Series
This is the first-ever meeting between the Broncs and the Norse.
 
Scouting the Cougars
The Cougars enter the tournament on a four-match losing streak and last won 4-3 over Florida A&M on March 16.
 
The Cougars are 18-41 (.305) in dual doubles play, getting their best production from teams that include Marnie Perez-Ochoa. The team of Perez-Ochoa and Ruta Grinvalde are 4-1 at No. 2, while Karyn Emeralda and Perez-Ochoa, are 4-5 at No. 1.
 
The Cougars are 36-85 (.298) in dual singles play, including a 7-5 record from Emeralda are No. 1 and a 7-10 record from Carynne Lloyd at No. 2.
 
The Series
The Broncs are 1-2 all-time against the Cougars in a series dating back to 2009. Last season, in the Great West Conference Championships third place match, the third-seeded Broncs fell to fifth-seeded Cougars 3-4 at the HEB Tennis Center in Harlingen.
 
Among returning Broncs, Beguelin picked up a win at No. 3 singles, 6-3, 6-0 over Lia Tejoprayitno, while Nazarova fell at No. 2 5-7, 2-6 to Lina Tejoprayitno. Beguelin and Nazarova also played together at No. 2 doubles, falling to Grinvalde and Emeralda 7-9.
 
The Tejoprayitno sisters are no longer with the team, although Grinvalde and Emeralda are.
 
The Broncs last beat Chicago State on May 1, 2010, 4-2 in the Great West Conference Championships semifinals at North Dakota. The Broncs went on to win the championship.
 
The Cougars handed the Broncs their only loss during the 2009 National Independent Tournament at the Orville Cox Tennis Center, 2-4. The Broncs went 3-1 in that tournament.
 
Last Time Out
The Broncs women's fell to the Northern Arizona University Lumberjacks 0-7 on April 1.
 
The Broncs picked up one set victory as Didi Fatchikova won her second set against Hannah Stone 6-4 after dropping the first set 3-6. Stone, however, won the super tiebreaker 10-8.
 
Burobina Returns
Anastasia Burobina returned to the lineup against Eastern Washington on March 30, winning in a pro match, 8-4 at No. 6 singles and falling 3-8. It was her first action since February 10 and her first singles action since February 7.
 
That's a Winner
The Broncs got their first win of the season in dominating fashion, taking 76 of 78 games in a 7-0 drubbing over the University of the Southwest on March 1. The Broncs had four double bagels in singles and won by default at No. 6 singles as well as No. 3 doubles.
 
Home Sweet Home
The Broncs went 3-3 at home this season and were 1-1 at home last season, but are 27-9 (.750) over the last eight seasons.
 
You Can Put it on the Board
The Broncs picked up their first match points of the season at UTSA on Feb. 3, as Wanda Beguelin defeated Alena Shichkova 6-2, 6-2 at No. 3 and Anastasia Burobina (UTPA) beat Kavya Menon (UTSA) 6-4, 6-2 at No. 4.
 
Ranked Win
The Broncs picked up their first win of the season in doubles against No. 36 Arkansas on January 19, as the No. 2 duo of Anastasia Burobina and Beguelin defeated Flavia Araujo and Kimberly - Ann Surin 8-5.
 
When in Roma…
The Broncs have one local student-athlete in Roma-native and freshman Julia Perez, who picked up her first dual singles and doubles wins against the University of the Southwest on March 1.
 
In singles, Perez is 1-0 at No. 5 and 1-3 at No. 6.
 
During her four years at Roma High School, Perez went 72-0 and never lost a district match. She was District 32-4A MVP, First Team All-Valley and First Team All-District in Doubles all four years. She was also the 2009 and 2011 singles district champion, as well as the 2012 doubles district champion. The Gladiators won the district title every year she was there and were ranked No. 12 in the state in 2011. Perez also led the Gladiators on a 52-match winning streak in district play.
 
In addition to her stellar tennis play, Perez was a regional qualifier in swimming all four years, led the golf team to their first ever regional tournament, led the basketball team to the 2012 playoffs, and earned honorable mention in golf in 2011 and 2012 in basketball in 2011.
 
Globetrotters
The Broncs currently have eight student-athletes on the roster representing eight different countries, including Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, England, France, The Netherlands, Russia and the United States.
 
Next Up
The Broncs close the season against host and 2012 Great West Conference Champion NJIT on Sunday at 9 a.m.