Editor’s Note: This is not the most recent UTEP tennis match.
Unideal weather conditions and player injuries contributed to UTEP’s (4-4, 0-1 Conference USA) losing sweep against the University of California, Irvine Anteaters (5-5, 1-1 The Big West Conference), on March 2. The Anteaters would not only hold off the Miners in doubles but in singles as well.
UTEP Tennis Head Coach Ivan Fernandez spoke about the obstacles that were in the forefront of the afternoon’s match and the steps needed to get back into the winning spirit.
“While the conditions were not ideal with the wind and several nagging injuries, we knew it was going to take a lot of focus and concentration. It was a very painful match,” Fernandez said. “We did compete well on several courts, but we need everyone to step up in order to get back to winning.”
Even with the match set back, Fernandez said the team’s determination will help them improve for the future.
“We need some time to recover and heal before we get back out on the court and UC Irvine really wanted it more than us,” Fernandez said. “I really hope that we can learn from these last two matches and make the adjustments needed to turn this around. We have a lot of tennis left to play this spring, and I know we can and will do better.”
In singles, UTEP sophomore Valeria Carreno Torres held strong against UC Irvine’s junior Haley Huynh, but would be clipped 6-4, 6-3, at No.5 singles. This was the first singles match of her campaign. UTEP junior Wendy Zhang would leave it all on the court with her singles match until UC Irvine’s Maily Huynh would win on retirement 7-6, 2-1.
UTEP’s Paloma Hennicaux would also struggle with her singles match ending swiftly against UC Irvine freshman Yen Nhi Huynh in 6-2, 6-0, at No. 3 singles. Unlike Hennicaux, UTEP senior Carlotta Mencaglia put up a fight in an intense match against UC Irvine junior Carolyna Fowler which would unfortunately end in defeat for Mencaglia 4-6, 6-5.
UTEP junior Candice Bernier almost went into a third set in her singles match in No. 2 singles with the scores of 2-6, 7-5. With UTEP senior Zuzanna Szczepanska fighting as hard as she could, she would be swindled out 6-7, 1-2 against UC Irvine junior Amanda Perez at No. 4 singles.
In doubles, Telzynska and Mencaglia were shut down by UC Irvine senior Kayla Meraz and Perez 6-3, at No. 1. Like in the singles matches, the struggle in doubles would continue soon after. Torres and Bernier couldn’t stick the landing at 6-4 against Fowler and Huynh at No. 2 doubles. UTEP sophomore DeCora Antoine and Zhang’s match would be stopped early at No. 3 doubles.
The team has an overall record of 4-4, home games 4-3, and away games at 0-1. The best the team has performed this season has been their face-off against Western New Mexico University with a final score of 6-1.
The team will be off the following week before their next three away games against Louisiana opponents Southern University, Nicholls State University and the University of New Orleans starting March 11.
Catching Marginot is a contributor and can be reached at [email protected].
