RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros women's tennis team won its last non-conference match of the season Sunday as sophomore
Yaiza Vazquez clinched a 4-2 victory over the Lamar Cardinals at the Orville Cox Tennis Center.
UTRGV (8-6) jumped out to a 1-0 lead behind good fight in doubles. Lamar (7-6) won the first match, taking a quick win at No. 3 while the Vaqueros were down on Court One and knotted up on Court Two.
The No. 2 duo of senior
Lea Karren and Vazquez strung together three consecutive games to go from even to up 5-2. Lamar fought off match point with a deuce point win, but the Vaqueros came right back to jump ahead in the next game and Karren slammed down a ball on the net to secure the 6-3 win, earning the duo its second consecutive victory in the second flight.
Graduate student
Isabelle Bahr and junior
Marjorie Souza showed their grit in the top flight to secure the doubles point for the Vaqueros. They fell behind 1-3 but used big serves and solid court coverage to hold steady through the back end of a tight match, going on a run to win, 6-3.
The Vaqueros dominated the top four courts to open the singles session, quickly taking the first sets with minimal games dropped. UTRGV grew the lead to 3-0 with straight-set wins on the first and second courts as Souza and Karren locked down unbeaten weekends.
Souza was first off the court, picking up her fourth consecutive victory. She set the tone early in the No. 1 singles match and never took her foot off the gas, cruising to a 6-1, 6-0 win. Karren followed suit with a determined effort at No. 2, using her athleticism to take a 6-2, 6-1 win.
The Cardinals trimmed their deficit with wins on the fifth and sixth courts. Vazquez rolled to win the first set of the No. 4 match, 6-2, and took an early lead in the second. Lamar's
Elena Rubio showed good fight down the stretch with her team trying to extend the match, but Vazquez used her power to keep Rubio off balance and finish the job with a 6-4 set win. Vazquez has now won four in a row and six of her last seven matches.
UTRGV opens its Western Athletic Conference (WAC) schedule Friday at 10 a.m. with a home match against Tarleton State at the Orville Cox Tennis Center. Bahr and Karren will be recognized ahead of the Senior Day match and the first 100 fans will receive free Support Women's Sports t-shirts. Admission is free and the community is encouraged to attend.
Complete Results
Doubles (3, 1, 2)
1.
Isabelle Bahr/
Marjorie Souza (UTRGV) def. Leah Kuruvilla/Megan Do (LU) 6-3
2.
Lea Karren/
Yaiza Vazquez (UTRGV) def. Saloni Tamang/Natalia Turczuk (LU) 6-3
3.
Valentina Urraco/
Kristal Dule (LU) def.
Kristal Dule/
Valentina Urraco (UTRGV) 6-0
Singles (1, 2, 5, 6, 4)
1.
Marjorie Souza (UTRGV) def. Leah Kuruvilla (LU) 6-1, 6-0
2.
Lea Karren (UTRGV) def. Marika Mueller (LU) 6-2, 6-1
3.
Isabelle Bahr (UTRGV) vs. Megan Do (LU) 6-0, 4-6, inc.
4.
Yaiza Vazquez (UTRGV) def. Elena Rubio (LU) 6-2, 6-4
5. Natalia Turczuk (LU) def.
Kristal Dule (UTRGV) 6-4, 6-0
6. Nouray Metwally (LU) def.
Valentina Urraco (UTRGV) 6-4, 6-0
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