UTEP tennis blasts Sam Houston, 4-0, to pick up first CUSA tournament win since 2009

(Courtesy: UTEP Athletics)

MIAMI, Florida - The No. 9 seed UTEP tennis team (7-14) drilled No. 8 seed Sam Houston (8-13), 4-0, in the opening match of the 2024 Conference USA Women’s Tennis Championships on the campus of FIU Thursday.

The Miners advance to the quarterfinals to battle top seed and No. 27 nationally FIU in the quarterfinals at 8 a.m. MT/10 a.m. ET Friday.

It is a momentous achievement for UTEP, which posted its first victory at the league’s pinnacle event since 2009 when the Orange and Blue derailed then league member Memphis, 4-1.

The Miners also avenged a hard-fought 4-3 road loss to the Bearkats on March 13.

Furthermore, it is the initial win via shutout in the CUSA Championships since 2007 (W, 4-0, Memphis).

Per postseason standards, the match was played with clinch format.

UTEP won every match that concluded, doing so in dominating fashion.

Sam Houston utilized only five players, which awarded the Miners a point in singles and a match in doubles via forfeit.

“We did not take for granted that they were missing a girl,” UTEP head coach Ivan Fernandez said today. “That made us focus more and really fight hard on every court. I’m proud of this group today. They kept fighting all the way to the end.”

The tone was set in doubles where Veronika Lebisova and Zuzanna Szczepanska were flawless in a 6-0 dismantling of Vianne Schwab and Roberta Sechi at the No. 1 slot.

That effort clinched the doubles point, as SHSU took a forfeit on court three. Carlotta Mencaglia and Hanna Telzynska were on serve with Paula Cerda and Sahithi Vutukuru at No. 2 doubles when that match was stopped due to the team point being decided.

UTEP carried that momentum into singles where Telzynska and Szczepanska produced wins in straight sets in singles.

The victory via forfeit at No. 6 singles for Paloma Hennicaux accounted for the other point for UTEP, helping it complete the 4-0 shutout.

Telzynska dismantled Sechi, 6-0, 6-3, at No. 4 singles while Szczepanska took out Schwab, 6-0, 7-5, at No. 5 to officially clinch the match for the Miners.

The other matches went unfinished with the team outcome decided, but UTEP was in good shape on the other courts.

Lebisova was serving to win her matchup with Cerda at No. 1 singles, as she led 6-4, 5-3, when it was halted. Mencaglia went unfinished at No. 2 singles with India Fenieys, 2-6, 6-3, 1-1.

Elena Dibattista was about to start a third set when her match was stopped vs. Vutukuru at No. 3 singles with the score at 6-0, 4-6.

First Round Match – _Thursday, April 18, 2024

(9) UTEP 4, (8) Sam Houston 0

Doubles

1. Veronika Lebisova/Zuzanna Szczepanska (UTEP) def. Vianne Schwab/Roberta Sechi (SHSU) 6-0

2. Paula Cerda/Sahithi Vutukuru (SHSU) vs. Carlotta Mencaglia/Hanna Telzynska (UTEP) 3-2, unfinished

3. Elena Dibattista/DeCora Antoine (UTEP) win by forfeit

Singles

1. Veronika Lebisova (UTEP) vs. Paula Cerda (SHSU) 6-4, 5-3, unfinished

2. Carlotta Mencaglia (UTEP) vs. India Fenieys (SHSU) 2-6, 6-3, 1-1, unfinished

3. Elena Dibattista (UTEP) vs. Sahithi Vutukuru (SHSU) 6-0, 4-6, unfinished

4. Hanna Telzynska (UTEP) def. Roberta Sechi (SHSU) 6-0, 6-3

5. Zuzanna Szczepanska (UTEP) def. Vianne Schwab (SHSU) 6-0, 7-5

6. Paloma Hennicaux (UTEP) win by forfeit

Match Notes:

Order to finish: Doubles (3, 1); Singles (6, 4, 5)