DENTON, Texas – Kathleen Percegona and Lina Sachica pulled out a hard-fought win in doubles action to lead the way for the UTEP tennis team on the opening day of the Mean Green Invite Friday.
 
The duo dispatched Lucie Devier and Likhitha Kalava (North Texas), 9-8 (2) in a wild back-and-forth match that ultimately went the way of the Orange and Blue.
 
"We had a difficult day of matches," UTEP head coach Ivan Fernandez said. "We competed well on several courts but only came out with one doubles win by Kell (Kathleen Percegona) and Lina (Sachica)."
 
Thassane Abrahim and Veronika Lebisova went down fighting to Saki Oyama and Liisa Vehvilainen (North Texas), 8-6. Eve Daniels and Elena Dibattista were bounced by Kexuan Zhou and Maria Ponomareva (North Texas), 8-0.
 
In singles action, Lebisova battled before coming up short to Lucie Devier (North Texas), 7-5 6-4. Percegona fell to Anja Draskovic (VCU), 6-2, 7-5. Dibattista went down to Maria Ponomareva (North Texas), 6-3, 7-5.
 
Sachica was knocked off by Kexuan Zhou (North Texas), 6-3 6-4. Abrahim was dispatched by Shivani Manjanna (VCU), 6-2 6-3. Likhitha Kalava (North Texas) bested Eve Daniels, 6-2, 6-2. Laura Schmitz went down by the identical score to Nina Sorkin (VCU), dropping the match, 6-2, 6-2.
 
The Orange and Blue will continue play at the event both Saturday and Sunday.  
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