EL PASO, Texas – The UTEP tennis team (3-2) battled before being upended by I-25 rival New Mexico, 4-2, at the El Paso Tennis Club on Friday. Carlotta Mencaglia and Paloma Hennicaux provided the wins in singles, but the Lobos (4-4) did enough on the other courts to come away with the victory.
 
"We fought hard today," UTEP head coach Ivan Fernandez said. "We are not at full strength, but we still battled. We feel really good about the effort, and we know we are going to have to play a little better across all courts to pull some of these matches out."
 
Action commenced in doubles, with UNM snagging the early lead. Hanna Telzynska and Carlotta Mencaglia were upended, 6-4, at No. 1 doubles by Maria Sodre and Rebekkah Gaines. The Lobos then clinched the point and early lead after Wendy Zhang and DeCora Antoine fell at the hands of Sofia Taborga and Maria Matsoukatidi, 6-3, at No. 3 doubles. The match at No. 2 doubles went unfinished.
 
The Miners looked to rally in singles but couldn't quite get it done. Mencaglia demolished Gaines in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2, at No. 1 singles. Hennicaux showed off her toughness at No. 3 singles. She dropped the opening set to Sarah O'Connor, 6-3. She regrouped and claimed both the second (6-3) and third (6-2) sets in convincing fashion to post the come-from-behind triumph.
 
Bernier pushed Maud Vandeputte to the limits before succumbing, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, at No. 2 singles. Wendy Zhang was upended by Sodre, 6-1, 6-0, at No. 5 singles while DeCora Antoine gave it her all in a 6-4, 6-2 setback at the hands of Taborga at the No. 6 slot. Telzynska's match at no. 4 singles went unfinished with clinch format in place.
 
UTEP will look to get back in the win column while also closing out the season-opening six-match homestand on a high note when it plays host to Lamar at 10 a.m. MT Sunday.  
 
New Mexico vs UTEP
Feb 14, 2025, at El Paso, Texas
(El Paso Tennis Club)
 
New Mexico 4, UTEP 2
Singles competition
1. Carlotta Mencaglia (UTEP) def. GAINES, Rebekkah (NM) 6-2, 6-2
2. VANDEPUTTE, Maud (NM) def. Candice Bernier (UTEP) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
3. Paloma Hennicaux (UTEP) def. O'CONNOR, Sarah (NM) 2-6, 6-4, 6-3
4. Hanna Telzynska (UTEP) vs. MATSOUKATIDI, Maria (NM) 7-6, 6-6, unfinished
5. SODRE, Maria (NM) def. Wendy Zhang (UTEP) 6-1, 6-0
6. TABORGA, Sofia (NM) def. DeCora Antoine (UTEP) 6-4, 6-2
 
Doubles competition
1. GAINES, Rebekkah/SODRE, Maria (NM) def. Hanna Telzynska/Carlotta Mencaglia (UTEP) 6-4
2. Candice Bernier/V. Carreño Torres (UTEP) vs. VANDEPUTTE, Maud/O'CONNOR, Sarah (NM) 4-5, unfinished
3. MATSOUKATIDI, Maria/TABORGA, Sofia (NM) def. Wendy Zhang/DeCora Antoine (UTEP) 6-3
 
Match Notes:
New Mexico 4-4
UTEP 3-2
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (1,5,6,3,2)
 
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