HUNTSVILLE, Texas – The UTEP tennis team (3-11, 0-2 CUSA) put up a tremendous fight before ultimately falling, 4-3, at Sam Houston (6-5, 1-0 CUSA) on Wednesday. The Miners won the doubles points to take the early lead in the contest, but the Bearkats managed to claim four of the six matches in single action to rally for the victory.
 
"We lost 4-3, but we played the best tennis today that I have seen this semester," UTEP head coach Ivan Fernandez said. "We won the doubles point in dominant fashion at No. 2 and No. 3. In singles, we fought super hard. We got wins from Hanna and Zu. It was great to get Zu winning again. I am so proud of how hard we fought today. If we can continue to fight like this, we will see great things in the future of UTEP tennis."
 
Carlotta Mencaglia and Hanna Telzynska blasted Vianne Schwab and Roberta Sechi, 6-2, at No. 2 doubles. DeCora Antoine and Elena Dibattista followed suit with a 6-2 drubbing of India Fenieys and Sahithi Vutukuru at No. 3 doubles as UTEP locked up the early lead. Veronika Lebisova and Zuzanna Szczepanska were clipped by Megan Basson and Paula Cerda, 6-1, at No. 1 doubles.
 
Szczepanska was in top form by waxing Roberta Sechi, 6-4, 6-0, at No. 5 singles. Telzynska joined her in the win column by taking down Vutukuru, 6-2, 6-4, at No. 3 singles. Lebisova was knocked off by Cerda, 6-3, 6-2, at No. 1 singles while Mencaglia went down swinging in three sets to Basson, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
 
Dibattista sustained a 7-6, 6-3, setback at the hands of Sechi. Paloma Hennicaux fought hard only to be defeated in three sets, 6-1, 1-6, 6-1, by Linn Svaerd at No. 6 singles.
 
UTEP will wrap up the busy stretch of four matches in six days when it plays at Stephen F. Austin at 11 a.m. MT/12 p.m. CT Friday.
 
UTEP vs Sam Houston
Mar 13, 2024 at Huntsville, Texas
(McAdams Center)
Sam Houston 4, UTEP 3
 
Singles competition
1. Paula Cerda (SHSU) def. Veronika Lebisova (UTEP) 6-3, 6-2
2. Megan Basson (SHSU) def. Carlotta Mencaglia (UTEP) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3
3. Hanna Telzynska (UTEP) def. Sahithi Vutukuru (SHSU) 6-2, 6-4
4. India Fenieys (SHSU) def. Elena DiBattista (UTEP) 7-6 (7-4), 6-3
5. Zuzanna Szczepanska (UTEP) def. Roberta Sechi (SHSU) 6-4, 6-0
6. Linn Svaerd (SHSU) def. Paloma Hennicaux (UTEP) 6-4, 1-6, 6-1
 
Doubles competition
1. Megan Basson/Paula Cerda (SHSU) def. Veronika Lebisova/Zuzanna Szczepanska (UTEP) 6-1
2. Carlotta Mencaglia/Hanna Telzynski (UTEP) def. Vianne Schwab/Roberta Sechi (SHSU) 6-2
3. DeCora Antoine/Elena DiBattista (UTEP) def. India Fenieys/Sahithi Vutukuru (SHSU) 6-2
 
Match Notes:
UTEP 3-11
Sam Houston 6-5
 

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