“I’m extremely proud of the team today,” NM State head coach Ivan Fernandez said. “We came out fighting in doubles and carried it through into the singles.”
Against the Mustangs (7-6), NM State continued its strong doubles’ play by winning the doubles’ point via the No. 1 and No. 2 spots.
Senior Susana Alcaraz and junior Erika Castillo Lopez got things started for the Aggies by defeating the 47th nationally-ranked doubles team of Caroline Aleck and Meika Ashby, 6-1.
NM State clinched the doubles’ point when junior Ashvarya Shrivistava and senior Denise Van Der Ben claimed a 6-3 decision over Barbare Eristavi and Yuriko Ono.
The Aggies split singles’ competition to clinch the victory.
At the No. 1 spot, Shrivistava downed Aleck 6-3, 6-3, while Alcaraz garnered her seventh victory of the spring with a 6-2, 6-2 win over WMU’s Olivia Myers.
After No. 3 Van Der Ben and No. 4 Lopez dropped their singles’ match, junior Mia Brandt did enough to claim a three-set victory over Ono, 7-6, 4-6, 6-3.
NM State women’s tennis renews the I-25 rivalry when they travel to Albuquerque, N.M. on Saturday to face New Mexico.
NM State vs. Western Michigan Women’s Tennis
March 8, 2015 Midland, Texas
Match Results
Singles competition
1. Ashvarya Shrivistava (NMSU) def. Caroline Aleck (WMU) 6-3, 6-3
2. Susana Alcaraz (NMSU) def. Olivia Myers (WMU) 6-2, 6-2
3. Barbare Eristavi (WMU) def. Denise Van Der Ben (NMSU) 6-0, 6-3
4. Tracy Kuhle (WMU) def. Erika Castillo Lopez (NMSU) 6-2, 6-3
5. Mia Brandt (NMSU) def. Yuriko Ono (WMU) 7-6, 4-6, 6-3
6. Labina Petrovska (WMU) def. Marie-Pier Thiffault (NMSU) 6-1, 6-4
Doubles competition
1. Susana Alcaraz/Erika Castillo Lopez (NMSU) def. Caroline Aleck/Meika Ashby (WMU) 6-1
2. Ashvarya Shrivistava/Denise Van Der Ben (NMSU) def. Barbare Eristavi/Yuriko Ono (WMU) 6-3
3. Tracy Kuhle/Olivia Myers (WMU) def. Marie-Pier Thiffault/Gabrielle Joyce (NMSU) 6-4