The UTEP tennis team (1-0) took home a close to perfect match, 6-1, against Western New Mexico University (WNMU) on Jan. 18. The home opener gave the Miners a dominant win against WNMU, showing its strength in double matches, going undefeated.

The Miners claimed all three doubles matches; senior Zuzanna Szczepanska and junior Candice Bernier claimed the No.1 match against WNMU’s senior Caini Wang and sophomore Gabriella Blumberg, 6-2.

Miner duo senior Carlotta Mencaglia and sophomore Hanna Telzynska took the No. 3 match against senior Ana Sofia Montero and freshman Emma Lootens-Stael, 6-3.

Junior Wendy Zhang and sophomore DeCora Antoine gave trouble to freshman duo Jenna Kastell and Manon Baudet in the No. 3 match, and with a score of 6-2, gave the Miners the doubles point.

To round off the doubles point, the Miners won five out of six singles matches.

Mencagila’s matchup against Wang gave her an easy cruise to a win, 6-1, 6-1 in the No.1 match. Bernier’s No. 2 match was with senior Andreea Arnautu, scoring 6-0, 6-4.

Junior Paloma Hennicaux served Blumberg a loss, 6-2, 6-0 in the No. 3 singles. Antoine gave Baudet a 6-2, 6-4 No. 6 game. With a back-and-forward matchup, Zhang ultimately claimed the win against Kastell 6-0, 4-6, 1-0 in the No. 5 singles. The team’s only loss was Szczepanska’s No. 4 singles matchup with Lootens-Stael, 6-4, 4-6, 1-0.

Starting the season with a win, UTEP Tennis looks to continue this momentum with the rest of the five back-to-back home games.

“It was a firm team win today,” UTEP associate head coach Joanna Furdyna told UTEP Athletics. “I’m happy with the overall performance.”

With the Miners’ revved up match, the El Paso Tennis Club will welcome Weber State on Feb. 6.

Sofia Sierra is the sports editor and may be reached at [email protected].