CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Carlotta Mencaglia fought back to forge a three-set victory to highlight the action for the UTEP tennis team (1-6) in a 6-1 setback at Texas A&M Corpus Christi (8-1) on Thursday.
 
The junior squared off against Emma Aucagne at No. 1 singles. She was dropped in the first set, 6-0, but refused to lose confidence. She came roaring back to claim the final two sets, 6-2, 6-4, on to way to staking her third victory in dual play this season. The Islanders picked up triumphs on the other courts to prevent the Miners from coming away with the team win.
 
"We really struggled today adjusting to being at sea level," UTEP head coach Ivan Fernandez said. "They made us play a lot of shots, and we just weren't able to adjust enough to make it a closer match. Lotti was our lone point today at No. 1 singles. She fought back after losing the first set to get a very good win. We need to keep our head up and keep fighting as I know this season will turn around for us very soon."
 
Action commenced in doubles where the Orange and Blue battled only to have Texas A&M Corpus Christi take the early lead in the match.
 
Aucagne and Naomi Moi snuck past Zuzanna Szczepanska and Veronika Lebisova, 6-4, in a competitive match at No. 1 doubles. Mencaglia and Hanna Telzynska were bested by Palina Saulevich and Ana Veroux, 6-3, at No. 2 doubles. Elena Dibattista and Valeria Carreño Torres's match with Kateryna Rublevska and Valeria Cherfus went unfinished with the team point decided. It was tied, 5-5, when it stopped.
 
Mencaglia did her part to try to fuel a rally in singles, but it didn't come to fruition on the other courts. Szczepanska went down swinging against Cherfus, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3, at No. 4 singles. Dibattista gave Rublevska a handful before succumbing by a final count of 6-4, 6-4, at No. 5 singles.
 
Lebisova was dispatched by Veroux, 6-0, 7-5, at No. 3 singles while Emma Stuart was dealt a 6-0, 6-2 setback in her match with Victoire Delattre at No. 6 singles. Telzynska was unable find the win column vs. Moi McKenzie, 6-0, 6-1, at No. 2 singles.
 
UTEP will regroup and look to bounce back when it plays for the second time in three days at UTRGV at 9 a.m. MT/10 a.m. CT Saturday.
 
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Match Notes:
UTEP 1-6
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 8-1
 
Tennis Match Results
UTEP vs Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
2/15/2024 at Corpus Christi, Texas
(Thomas J. Henry Tennis Center)
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 6, UTEP 1
 
Singles competition
1. Carlotta Mencaglia (UTEP) def. Emma Aucagne (AMCC-W) 0-6, 6-2, 6-4
2. Naomi Moi McKenzie (AMCC-W) def. Hanna Telzynska (UTEP) 6-0, 6-1
3. Ana Veroux (AMCC-W) def. Veronika Lebisova (UTEP) 6-0, 7-5
4. Valeria Cherfus (AMCC-W) def. Zuzanna Szczepanska (UTEP) 7-6 (7-3), 6-3
5. Kateryna Rublevska (AMCC-W) def. Elena Dibattista (UTEP) 6-4, 6-4
6. Victoire Delattre (AMCC-W) def. Emma Stuart (UTEP) 6-0, 6-2
 
Doubles competition
1. Emma Aucagne/Naomi Moi McKenzie (AMCC-W) def. Zuzanna Szczepanska/Veronika Lebisova (UTEP) 6-4
2. Palina Saulevich/Ana Veroux (AMCC-W) def. Carlotta Mencaglia/Hanna Telzynska (UTEP) 6-3
3. Kateryna Rublevska/Valeria Cherfus (AMCC-W) vs. Elena Dibattista/V. Carreño Torres (UTEP) 5-5, unfinished