RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros women's tennis team earned a 6-1 Western Athletic Conference (WAC) win over the Sam Houston State (SHSU) Bearkats on senior day Sunday at the Orville Cox Tennis Center behind senior Stefanie Wilske's clinch. 
 
UTRGV (12-8) improved to 7-2 in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and currently sits in third behind UT Arlington (7-1) and Tarleton (7-2).  
 
The Vaqueros claimed the doubles point after wins on the first and second courts. Sam Houston (5-12, 2-6 WAC) took the first doubles match at No. 3, then UTRGV's No. 2 duo of junior Isabelle Bahr and sophomore Marjorie Souza evened the session with a quick 6-2 win. Junior Lea Karren and sophomore Barbara Martinez clinched the 1-0 lead with a 6-4 win at No. 1. 
 
UTRGV rolled through the doubles session to quickly secure its second win in a row. Martinez cruised in her No. 4 match, winning 6-3, 6-2. Bahr was solid in a 6-4, 6-2 win at No. 2. 
 
Wilske, playing in her final match at the Orville Cox Tennis Center, clinched the victory with a 6-2, 6-4 win in the No. 5 spot, delivering smart, sinking shots to float past her opponent. 
 
Souza controlled the No. 3 match to take it 6-1, 6-4. After dropping her first conference singles match, Souza went on a run and closed the WAC regular season with an eight-match winning streak. 
 
Karren earned an impressive 7-6 (7:3), 6-3 win in a No. 1 heavyweight match fit for pay-per-view. The junior and SHSU's Paula Cerda put on a show in the top flight, covering the court well and executing cheer-eliciting shots. 
 
In the No. 6 match, senior Kristyna Mamicova competed incredibly hard, but fell in a lengthy, tight contest that featured three tiebreakers to Linn Svard, 6-7 (2-7), 7-6 (7:3), 1-0 (12:10). 
 
Up next for the Vaqueros is the WAC tournament April 27-29 in Arlington. 
 
Complete Results
Singles (4, 2, 5, 3, 1, 6) 
1. Lea Karren (UTRGV) def. Paula Cerda (SHSU) 7-6 (7:3), 6-3 
2. Isabelle Bahr (UTRGV) def. Anastasiia Khokhlova (SHSU) 6-4, 6-2 
3. Marjorie Souza (UTRGV) def. Sahithi Vutukuru (SHSU) 6-1, 6-4 
4. Barbara Martinez (UTRGV) def. Vianne Schwab (SHSU) 6-3, 6-2 
5. Stefanie Wilske (UTRGV) def. Aaliyah Hohmann (SHSU) 6-2, 6-4 
6. Linn Svard (SHSU) def. Kristyna Mamicova (UTRGV) 6-7 (2:7), 7-6 (7:3) 1-0 (12:10) 
 
Doubles (3, 2, 1) 
1. Lea Karren/Barbara Martinez (UTRGV) def. Paula Cerda/Sahithi Vutukuru (SHSU) 6-4  
2. Isabelle Bahr/Marjorie Souza (UTRGV) def. Vianne Schwab/Linn Svard (SHSU) 6-2  
3. Anastasiia Khokhlova/Aaliyah Hohman (SHSU) def. Daniela Rosenberger/Stefanie Wilske (UTRGV) 6-2  

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