Aggie Tennis Team Loses To Loyola Marymount
The New Mexico State women’s tennis team fell in a close 3-4 match against Loyola Marymount Thursday afternoon in Los Angeles, Calif.
The Aggies (7-9) lost the doubles point, but freshman Ginet Pinero and sophomore Natalia Salum picked up an 8-4 win at the No. 3 spot.
“Everyone played hard from start to finish and it came down to one or two points,” assistant coach Ivan Fernandez said in a news release. “It still shows how much this team is fighting.”
Even without senior Sophia Marks at the No. 1 singles spot, the Aggies still picked up the singles points at the first and second positions.
Sophomore Manon Sylvain at the top spot and junior Isabela Kulaif on the second court each earned wins in just two sets.
“Kulaif is playing the best tennis I have seen from her in 2 years. I am very impressed with her play and she continues her winning streak.”
Kulaif earned her eighth singles victory in the last nine matches.
NM State earned another point on the sixth court, but it was not enough to pull off the win.
“I expect to have everyone back to 100 percent when we start our conference schedule next weekend in Reno,” Fernandez said.
The Aggies begin conference play against La Tech, Nevada and Boise state next weekend, April 2-3, in Reno, Nev.
Loyloa Marymount 4, New Mexico State 3
Doubles 1. Pironkova/Pringle (LMU) def. Kulaif/Costa (NMSU) 8-0 2. Valenzuela/Nixon (LMU) def. Marks/Sylvain (NMSU) 8-4 3. Pinero/Salum (NMSU) def. Morgan/Bulkley (LMU) 8-4
Singles 1. Manon Sylvain (NMSU) def. Jane Pringle (LMU) 6-3, 6-2 2. Isabela Kulaif (NMSU) def. Estelle LaPorte (LMU) 6-1, 6-0 3. Melissa Valenzuela (LMU) def. Aleksa Costa (NMSU) 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 4. Elisaveta Pironkova (LMU) def. Ginet Pinero (NMSU) 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 5. Bliss Nixon (LMU) def. Natalia Salum (NMSU) 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 6. Elizabeth Tapin (NMSU) def. Audrey Bulkley (LMU) 6-1, 7-6, 6-4
