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UTEP Miners

UTEP Miners
UTEP Tennis Hosts UTPB on Saturday

UTEP Tennis Hosts UTPB on Saturday


EL PASO, Texas - The UTEP tennis team will continue its homestand when they play host to UTPB on Saturday, Feb. 10 at the El Paso Tennis and Swim Club. First serve is set for 12 p.m.

"We have been working specifically this week on our consistency and point construction, head coach Ivan Fernandez said. "I am looking forward to seeing the team implement the things we were lacking as a team last weekend."


The Miners (2-4 overall, 0-1 C-USA) are coming off losses to very competitive Abilene Christian and NAU teams last weekend. The young UTEP squad was able to notch five wins on the weekend, four in singles competition and one doubles win. During the match against the Wildcats on Friday, Raven Bennett and Chloe Purkiss were paired at the no. 3 position for doubles and worked for a 6-2 triumph over Abilene Christian's Jordan Henry and Ileana Mocciola.Two more wins were punched in when Erandi Martinez took down Mocciola 7-6, 6-0 at the no. 6 spot and Maria Paula Medina earned a hard-fought 6-4, 7-6 win over Henry at the no. 5 position. Sunday's wins against the Lumberjacks came at the hands of Bennett, who wore down her opponent 5-7, 6-3, 10-2 at the no. 3 spot, and Martinez, who took down her foe 6-7, 6-4, 10-4. 


Martinez leads the team in singles victories with a 3-1 mark in dual match play, while Bennett and freshman Chloe Purkiss have a 2-2 record in doubles play. 

The Falcons will open their spring season against the Miners when they roll into the Sun City. Last season, UTPB posted a 6-13-1 overall record and a 1-4 mark in the Lone Star Conference. The Falcons return junior Andrea Villalobos, who garnered eight wins playing at the no. 2 spot in singles in 2017, as well as veteran Fernanda Orona and Eugenia Sanchez, who paired up to record a 5-3 at the no. 1 position in doubles play last season. 


The two teams last met February 28, 2015 at the El Paso Tennis and Swim Club, when the Miners routed the Falcons 7-0.  


"Athletic Director Jim Senter came by practice this morning and gave the team some positive words of motivation," Fernandez said. "We are ready to get back out on the court."


Admission is free, and those in attendance will receive white fans and free team posters.
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