BROWNSVILLE– The fourth-seeded University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) women's tennis team advanced to the semifinals of the Western Athletic Conference Tournament by defeating No. 5 Chicago State University 4-1 on Friday at the Brownsville Tennis Center.
 
UTRGV advances to face Grand Canyon on Saturday at 9 a.m. The winner will earn a spot in the WAC Championship match.
 
UTRGV fell behind early in doubles as Chicago State won at No. 3 doubles but battled back to take the point and the advantage into singles. Seniors Michelle Walker and Doris Aleksovska evened doubles with a 6-4 win over Katarina Drazic and Diana Borodina at No. 2 doubles.
 
Seniors Marine Darzyan and Dominique Ibarra clinched the doubles point with a 6-2 victory over Anastasii Goncharova and Iesha Shepherd at No. 1 doubles.
 
In singles, Ibarra kept things rolling for UTRGV with her 14^thstraight victory by defeating Goncharova 6-1, 6-1 at the No. 1 spot. With the win, Ibarra now has the second most career singles victories in program history with 65 as she passes Leah Viloria (1988-91).
 
Walker gave UTRGV the 3-0 lead with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Kristina Pukhavea at the No. 3 spot before Chicago State won at No. 2 singles to get on the board with its lone point of the match.
 
Aleksovska then clinched the win for UTRGV with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over the WAC Freshman of the Year Diana Borodina at No. 4 singles
 
Singles (1,3,2,4)
1. Dominique Ibarra (UTRGV) def. Anastasii Goncharova (CSU) 6-1, 6-1
2. Katarina Drazic (CSU) def. Marine Darzyan (UTRGV) 6-3, 6-1
3. Michelle Walker (UTRGV) def. Kristina Pukhavea (CSU) 6-1, 6-2
4. Doris Aleksovska (UTRGV) def. Diana Borodina (CSU)  6-1, 6-4
5. Nethmi Waduge (UTRGV) vs. Iesha Shepherd (CSU) 6-4, 3-6, unfinished
6. Sandra Putz (UTRGV) vs. Lizi Morgoshia (CSU) 7-5, 4-4 unfinished 
 
Doubles (3,2,1)
1. Marine Darzyan/Dominique Ibarra (UTRGV) def. Anastasii Goncharova/Iesha Shepherd (CSU) 6-2
2. Michelle Walker/Doris Aleksovska (UTRGV) def. Katarina Drazic/Diana Borodina (CSU) 6-4
3. Lizi Morgoshia/Kristina Pukhavea (CSU) def. Sandra Putz/Katarina Sasaroga (UTRGV) 6-1

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