EL PASO, Texas – Hanna Telzynska picked up a win in singles while Wendy Zhang and DeCora Antoine rolled in doubles in the UTEP tennis team's 4-1 setback at I-10 rival NM State on Friday.
 
The Aggies (9-5) secured the doubles point and then managed to hold off a rally attempt by the Miners (4-3) in singles action.
 
"We had chances to win the doubles but could not close it out," UTEP head coach Ivan Fernandez said. "In the singles, we didn't play up to our level. Having several players not practice much the last week really affected us. I felt like we could still win at a few spots, but we just couldn't get it going. We knew it was going to be a battle today and that we were going to have to play our best to win today. This is a great learning experience, and I am confident that we can bounce back on Sunday."
 
Zhang and Antoine picked up their second consecutive victory after downing Dora Kurdi and Whitney Moon, 6-4, at No. 3 doubles. Candice Bernier and Valeria Carreño Torres battled only to fall to Mo Parkinson-Lubold and Lisa Zhu, 6-4, at No. 2 doubles. It was the same story at No. 1 doubles, with Carlotta Mencaglia and Telzynska being upended, 7-5, by Nadia Nemeth and Anna Pinaieva.
 
Telzynska was off to a 4-1 lead against Kurdi at No. 4 singles when her foe retired, giving her the victory. Mencaglia sustained her first setback (5-1) this spring at No. 1 singles, being bested by Pinaieva, 6-2, 6-4. Antoine was clipped by Parkinson-Lubold, 6-2, 6-2, at No. 6 singles. Paloma Hennicaux was held off by Moon, 6-3, 6-0, at No. 3 singles.
 
The other matches went unfinished, due to clinch format. Zhang was leading Nemeth, 7-5, 4-3, at No. 5 singles when it was halted. Bernier's match vs. Zhu at No. 2 singles was also unfinished.
 
UTEP has a chance to get back in the win column when it plays host to UC Irvine at 10 a.m. MT Sunday. The match will be held at the El Paso Tennis Club, and admission will be free of charge.
 
Tennis Match Results
UTEP vs New Mexico State
02/28/2025 at Las Cruces, N.M.
(NM State Tennis Center)
New Mexico State 4, UTEP 1
 
Singles competition
1. Anna Pinaieva (NMSU) def. Carlotta Mencaglia (UTEP) 6-2, 6-4
2. Lisa Zhu (NMSU) vs. Candice Bernier (UTEP) 6-3, 5-3, unfinished
3. Whitney Moon (NMSU) def. Paloma Hennicaux (UTEP) 6-3, 6-0
4. Hanna Telzynska (UTEP) def. Dora Kurdi (NMSU) 4-1, retired
5. Nadia Nemeth (NMSU) vs. Wendy Zhang (UTEP) 5-7, 3-4, unfinished
6. Mo Parkinson-Lubold (NMSU) def. DeCora Antoine (UTEP) 6-2, 6-2
 
Doubles competition
1. Nadia Nemeth/Anna Pinaieva (NMSU) def. Carlotta Mencaglia/Hanna Telzynska (UTEP) 7-5
2. Mo Parkinson-Lubold/Lisa Zhu (NMSU) def. Candice Bernier/V. Carreño Torres (UTEP) 6-4
3. Wendy Zhang/DeCora Antoine (UTEP) def. Dora Kurdi/Whitney Moon (NMSU) 6-4
 
Match Notes:
UTEP 4-3
New Mexico State 9-5
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (4,3,6,1)
 
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