EL PASO, Texas – The UTEP tennis team was knocked off by defending the Big Sky champions Weber State, 5-2, at the El Paso Tennis Club on Saturday. Hanna Telzynska and Elena Dibattista each recorded wins in straight sets in singles and Carlotta Mencaglia joined up with Telzynska for a triumph in doubles play to highlight the efforts for the Miners (1-2). It wasn't enough, though, with the Wildcats (1-1) finding enough success on the other courts to hold off the Orange and Blue.
 
Telzynska bested Kenadee Semenik, 6-3, 6-2, at No. 4 singles while Dibattista took care of business against Li Yang Ping An, 7-6, 6-2, at No. 5 singles. Mencaglia and Telzynska rolled past Kenadee Semenik and Ping An, 6-4, at No. 2 doubles.
 
"We lost another tough one today," UTEP head coach Ivan Fernandez said. "We are just having too many ups and down in our play, making it difficult to play with consistency. We are again having to learn tough lessons as we go, but I know it will make us better in the long run. We have gotten some good play from Lotti and Hanna in the doubles winning both days and today Ele and Hanna both made adjustments from yesterday to get two good wins today."
 
Despite the efforts from Mencaglia and Telzynska, the Wildcats took the early lead in the match with victories in No. 1 and No. 3 doubles. Zuzanna Szczepanska and Dibattista came up just shy vs. Ana Morett and Megan Davies, 6-4, at the top slot. Veronika Lebisova and Paloma Hennicaux were clipped by the same score at the hands of Sicely Ferreira and Dylan Lolofie at No. 3 doubles.
 
Mencaglia took an early lead at No. 1 singles only to ultimately fall, 4-6, 7-6, 6-1, against Morett. Szczepanska also sustained a three-set loss in the same style, falling by a count of 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 vs. Lolofie at No. 3 singles. Hennicaux was clipped by Ferreira, 6-2, 6-2, at No. 6 singles while Lebisova was dispatched by Davies, 6-4, 6-0, at the second position.
 
The Orange and Blue will look to get back on track when they wrap up the season-opening four-match homestand vs. UT Arlington on Feb. 7.
 
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Tennis Match Results
Weber State vs UTEP
Jan 27, 2024 at El Paso, Texas
(El Paso Tennis Cent)
Weber State 5, UTEP 2
 
Singles competition
1. Ana Morett (WSU-W) def. Carlotta Mencaglia (UTEP) 4-6, 7-6, 6-1
2. Megan Davies (WSU-W) def. Veronika Lebisova (UTEP) 6-4, 6-0
3. Dylan Lolofie (WSU-W) def. Zuzanna Szczepanska (UTEP) 3-6, 6-4, 6-2
4. Hanna Telzynska (UTEP) def. Kenadee Semenik (WSU-W) 6-3, 6-2
5. Elena Dibattista (UTEP) def. Li Yang Ping An (WSU-W) 7-6, 6-2
6. Sicely Ferreira (WSU-W) def. Paloma Hennicaux (UTEP) 6-2, 6-2
 
Doubles competition
1. Ana Morett/Megan Davies (WSU-W) def. Zuzanna Szczepanska/Elena Dibattista (UTEP) 6-4
2. Carlotta Mencaglia/Hanna Telzynska (UTEP) def. Kenadee Semenik/Li Yang Ping An (WSU-W) 6-4
3. Sicely Ferreira/Dylan Lolofie (WSU-W) def. Veronika Lebisova/Paloma Hennicaux (UTEP) 6-4
 
Match Notes:
Weber State 1-1
UTEP 1-2
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (6,2,4,5,3,1)