RIO GRANDE VALLEY – For the second time in as many matches and third time this season, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros women's tennis team earned a dramatic victory, coming from behind to top the UTEP Miners, 4-1, Saturday at Kiskeya Athletics.
This is the first time UTRGV (4-1) has defeated UTEP (1-7) since 2008, snapping a six-match losing skid to the Miners.
UTEP opened up the 1-0 advantage after winning on the first and second doubles courts. The No. 3 duo of graduate student
Isabelle Bahr and sophomore
Valentina Urraco held a 5-4 lead in their match, but it went unfinished with the doubles point secured.
The Vaqueros came roaring back in singles, winning the first set of the first four matches played to set the tone early. Sophomore
Yaiza Vazquez rolled at No. 4 to get UTRGV on the board, dominating her opening set and staying tough to hold off a comeback attempt, 6-1, 7-5.
Junior
Marjorie Souza showed her athleticism to capture a three-set win and put UTRGV on top, 2-1. She won her first set 6-4, then dropped the second 6-0 to
Carlotta Mencaglia. Souza's mental toughness was on display as she rebounded quickly and covered the court incredibly well in a fast-paced bout to win the third, 6-3.
Senior
Lea Karren looked solid at No. 2 and picked up a good 7-5, 6-4 win. Her energetic style and variety of shots backed a nice performance and increased the lead to 3-1.
Bahr clinched the victory with a hard-earned win at No. 3. Her first set was well over an hour, filled with long rallies as the graduate student and
Veronika Lebisova sent each other back-and-forth across the baseline. Bahr's conditioning and toughness pulled through as she won 7-6 (7:4), 6-4 and was greeted by a big hug from her excited teammates.
Junior
Kristal Dule and Urraco had just started their matches on the fifth and sixth courts when Bahr clinched, leaving the matches unfinished.
The Vaqueros will be back in action Sunday at 11 a.m. at the Orville Cox Tennis Center as they host Incarnate Word. Admission is free and the community is encouraged to attend.
Complete Results
Doubles (1, 2)
1. Veronika Lebisova/Zuzanna Szczepanska (UTEP) def.
Kristal Dule/
Yaiza Vazquez (UTRGV) 6-1
2. Carlotta Mencaglia/Hanna Telzynska (UTEP) def.
Lea Karren/
Marjorie Souza (UTRGV) 7-5
3.
Isabelle Bahr/
Valentina Urraco (UTRGV) vs. Elena Dibattista/Valeria Carreno (UTEP) 5-4, inc.
Singles (4, 1, 2, 3)
1.
Marjorie Souza (UTRGV) def. Carlotta Mencaglia (UTEP) 6-4, 0-6, 6-3
2.
Lea Karren (UTRGV) def. Hanna Telzynska (UTEP) 7-5, 6-4
3.
Isabelle Bahr (UTRGV) def. Veronika Lebisova (UTEP) 7-6 (7:4), 6-4
4.
Yaiza Vazquez (UTRGV) def. Elena Dibattista (UTEP) 6-1, 7-5
5.
Kristal Dule (UTRGV) vs. Zuzanna Szczepanska (UTEP) 2-4, inc.
6.
Valentina Urraco (UTRGV) vs. Paloma Hennicaux (UTEP) 2-3, inc.
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