Zuzanna Szczepanska secured a win in both singles and doubles action to lead the way for the UTEP tennis team in a 6-1 setback at I-10 rival NM State Friday.
via UTEP Athletics
She teamed up with Elena Dibattista to take down Miranda Bishard and Bella Nguyen, 6-4, at No. 2 doubles before securing a 6-7, 6-4, 10-5 triumph against Valeriia Ivanovskaia to cap a perfect day.
The Miners (2-9) couldn’t put things together fully in the other matches, allowing the Aggies (5-5) to emerge with the win.
“It’s very disappointing to be this far into the season, and we still can’t get everyone to show up for each match,” UTEP head coach Ivan Fernandez said. “We have consistently had only about half the team show up, and we need everyone to be able to turn this around. I still have full confidence that we can do this. I know this was a hard lesson today, but we will learn and keep working to get better.”
The contest initiated in doubles where the Miners took care of business at No. 2 doubles. NM State came away with the team point and early lead as result of victories at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles. Veronika Lebisova and Thassane Abrahim were upended, 6-1, by Anna Pinaieva and Lisa Zhu while Eve Daniels/Carlotta Mencaglia were clipped, 6-3, by Ivanovskaia and Natsuki Nishimura.
UTEP’s aspiration of a rally didn’t occur in singles play, but two of the losses were in three sets. Lebisova claimed the first set against Pinaieva, 6-2, before falling, 6-2, 7-6, in the final two sets at No. 1 singles. Mencaglia put up a good fight in a 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 defeat at the hands of Zhu at No. 2 singles.
Abrahim was clipped, 6-3, 6-0, at No. 4 singles by Nishimura. Daniels was dropped, 6-3, 7-5, by Bishard at No. 5 singles while Paloma Hennicaux was dispatched, 6-3, 6-0, at the hands of Nguyen at No. 6 singles.
UTEP will have a quick turnaround as it plays host to Weatherford College at 12 p.m. MT on “Senior Day.” The match will be held at the El Paso Tennis Club, and admission is free.
Tennis Match Results
UTEP vs NM State
Mar 10, 2023 at Las Cruces, N.M.
NM State 6, UTEP 1
Singles competition
- Anna Pinaieva (NMST) def. Veronika Lebisova (UTEP) 2-6, 6-2, 7-6
- Lisa Zhu (NMST) def. Carlotta Mencaglia (UTEP) 6-3, 5-7, 6-2
- Zuzanna Szczepanska (UTEP) def. Valeriia Ivanovskaia (NMST) 6-7, 6-4, 10-5
- Natsuki Nishimura (NMST) def. Thassane Abrahim (UTEP) 6-3, 6-0
- Miranda Bishard (NMST) def. Eve Daniels (UTEP) 6-3, 7-5
- Bella Nguyen (NMST) def. Paloma Hennicaux (UTEP) 6-3, 6-0
Doubles competition
- Anna Pinaieva/Lisa Zhu (NMST) def. Veronika Lebisova/Thassane Abrahim (UTEP) 6-1
- Zuzanna Szczepanska/Elena Dibattista (UTEP) def. Miranda Bishard/Bella Nguyen (NMST) 6-4
- Valeriia Ivanovskaia/Natsuki Nishimura (NMST) def. Eve Daniels/Carlotta Mencaglia (UTEP) 6-3
Match Notes:
UTEP 2-9
NM State 5-5
