RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros women's tennis team captured a well-earned 4-3 victory over the Incarnate Word Cardinals (UIW) on Saturday at the Orville Cox Tennis Center behind junior Lea Karren's comeback win in the No. 3 singles flight. 
 
UTRGV (4-4) claimed the doubles point in its fifth consecutive match to take the 1-0 advantage. Karren and sophomore Barbara Martinez dominated their No. 2 match to earn a 6-2 win. Sophomore Daniela Rosenberger and freshman Yaiza Vazquez clinched the doubles point with a come-from-behind 6-4 win in the No. 3 match, overcoming an early 0-2 deficit. 
 
Senior Stefanie Wilske swiftly won her No. 6 match, 6-3, 6-3 to make the UTRGV lead 2-0. But the Cardinals picked up a win at No. 1 by Brandelyn Fulgenzi right after, making it 2-1. 
 
Martinez looked solid in the No. 4 match. She cruised in the first set, controlling it from the opening serve to win 6-0. Martinez held off a respectable comeback attempt from Gargi Pawar to capture a solid 6-4 win in the second and secure her victory while putting the Vaqueros up 3-1. 
 
The Cardinals tied the match at 3-3 with wins in the fifth and second flights by Sophia Kermet and Amelie Montalvo, respectively. Rosenberger showed great resolve in the loss at No. 5, responding well after dropping the first 0-6 and falling behind early in the second. Junior Isabelle Bahr was competitive in the No. 2 match, enduring long rallies under the hot sun, but Montalvo came away with the 6-4, 7-5 win. 
 
Karren showed incredible resilience, coming from behind after dropping the first set of her singles match 2-6 to win two grueling sets 6-3, 6-3. She was met with a dogpile of teammates – who brought great energy throughout her battle – after the hard-fought win. 
 
UTRGV is back at the Orville Cox Tennis Center for a 12 p.m. match Sunday against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the South Texas Showdown presented by Rally Community Credit Union. 
 
Complete Results
Singles (6, 1, 4, 5, 2, 3)  
1. Brandelyn Fulgenzi (UIW) def. Marjorie Souza (UTRGV) 6-3, 6-2 
2. Amelie Montalvo (UIW) def. Isabelle Bahr (UTRGV) 6-4, 7-5 
3. Lea Karren (UTRGV) def. Lyric Bonilla (UIW) 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 
4. Barbara Martinez (UTRGV) def. Gargi Pawar (UIW) 6-0, 6-4 
5. Sophia Kermet (UIW) def. Daniela Rosenberger (UTRGV) 6-0, 7-5 
6. Stefanie Wilske (UTRGV) def. Estefania Gonzalez (UIW) 6-3, 6-3 
 
Doubles (2, 3) 
1. Isabelle Bahr/Marjorie Souza (UTRGV) vs. Brandelyn Fulgenzi/Estefania Gonzalez (UIW) 5-4, inc.  
2. Lea Karren/Barbara Martinez (UTRGV) def. Lyric Bonilla/Nitika Girish (UIW) 6-2  
3. Daniela Rosenberger/Yaiza Vazquez (UTRGV) def. Gargi Pawar/Amelie Montalvo (UIW) 6-4 

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