EDINBURG – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) women's tennis team opened Western Athletic Conference play with a 4-3 victory over UMKC on Friday at the Orville Cox Tennis Center.
 
The win also improves UTRGV to 7-0 at home this season. 
 
"I don't think it was a great match on either side because it was so windy," UTRGV head coach Sonia Hahn said. "I thought they played with a lot of heart and competed really hard. We have talked a lot about how sometimes we have to battle through the weather and it's about being mentally tough and competing as hard as you can."
 
UTRGV (8-8) jumped out to the early 1-0 lead after sweeping through doubles. Freshman Lasya Patnaik and sophomore Anastasia Belyaeva got things started with a 6-2 win over Katie Fries and Ioanna Lathouri on court three.
 
Senior Dominique Esparza and junior Doris Aleksovska then clinched the doubles point with a 6-2 win over Aliona Ladutska and Grace Ball on court two before juniors Marine Darzyan and Dominique Ibarra completed the sweep with a 6-4 win on court one over Melinda Johnson and Yana Grechkina.
 
In singles, UTRGV kept the pressure on UMKC (8-9) as Belyaeva won 6-4, 6-0 over Grechkina on court four and then Ibarra made it 3-0 in favor of UTRGV with a 6-1, 6-1 win over Johnson on court three.
 
Aleksovska then clinched the win for UTRGV with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Thanushree Vale on court five.
 
"I was really pleased the first couple of matches," Hahn said. "Sometimes it's hard to finish out a match, especially a team like this that is so competitive. I was really proud of those matches that finished early. They kept the pressure on UMKC and they competed with a lot of heart."
 
UMKC go its points with wins on courts two, six and one to close out the match.
 
UTRGV will play its second WAC match when it faces off against Grand Canyon on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Orville Cox Tennis Center.
 
Singles (4,3,5,2,6,1)
1. Aliona Ladutska (UMKC) def. Dominique Esparza (UTRGV) 6-2, 7-6 (3)
2. Katie Fries (UMKC) def. Marine Darzyan (UTRGV) 7-5, 3-2, retired.
3. Dominique Ibarra (UTRGV) def. Melinda Johnson (UMKC) 6-1, 6-1
4. Anastasia Belyaeva (UTRGV) def. Yana Grechkina (UMKC) 6-4, 6-0
5. Doris Aleksovska (UTRGV) def. Thanushree Vale (UMKC) 6-2, 6-2
6. Grace Ball (UMKC) def. Lasya Patnaik (UTRGV) 7-6 (5), 6-3
 
Doubles (3,2,1)
1. Marine Darzyan/Dominique Ibarra (UTRGV) def. Melinda Johnson/Yana Grechikina (UMKC) 6-4
2. Dominique Esparza/ Doris Aleksovska (UTRGV) def. Aliona Ladutska/Grace Ball (UMKC) 6-2
3. Anastasia Belyaeva/Lasya Patnaik (UTRGV) def. Katie Fries/Ioanna Lathouri (UMKC) 6-2

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