DENVER, Colo. – The Western New Mexico University women's tennis team exacted some revenge as after cruising past Colorado Christian, 5-0, the Mustangs defeated Colorado Mesa the second time around with a 5-3 win to advance to the RMAC Championship game tomorrow at noon against Nebraska-Kearney.


WNMU (9-12) opened the tournament strong blowing by Colorado Christian for the second time this season, 5-0, once again shutting out the Cougars. In doubles, No. 3 Dena Irvin (Farmington, NM/Farmington High School)/Davida Aragon (Arenas Valley, NM/Cobre High School) had the easiest time of the group rolling to an 8-1 victory. The other two doubles pairs each won by scores of 8-4. At the top flight, Ganna Tiurina (Kiev, Ukraine/M.M. Gromov #227)/Nikolina Vukadin (Pale, Bosnia and Herzegovina/Sredwjoskolski Centar Pale) took their match 8-4 and Ashley Newell (Las Vegas, NV/Silverado)/Doris Berberic (Lower Hutt, New Zealand/Hutt Valley High School) took their No. 2 match by that score as well.  In singles, No. 3 and No. 5 were the first to finish to end the match. Newell won her match at No. 3, 6-2, 6-1 and Aragon won at No. 5, 6-1, 6-1. The other Mustangs that didn't finish also had solid leads, with No. 4 Tiurina ahead 6-1, 1-0 at No. 1, No. 10 Vukadin ahead 6-4, 3-1 at No. 2 and Berberic ahead 6-0, 3-2 at No. 5. Erica Rasmussen (/) had yet to start at No. 6.


WNMU continued the strong play later in the afternoon, coming away with a 5-3 victory over Colorado Mesa, the No. 2 seed in the tournament. WNMU avenged a 7-2 loss last week against Colorado Mesa. In doubles, WNMU took two of three, with Ganna Tiurina (Kiev, Ukraine/M.M. Gromov #227)/Nikolina Vukadin (Pale, Bosnia and Herzegovina/Sredwjoskolski Centar Pale) pulling out the top flight in a tiebreaker, winning 7-5 for the 9-8 win. Ashley Newell (Las Vegas, NV/Silverado)/Doris Berberic (Lower Hutt, New Zealand/Hutt Valley High School) dominated at No. 2 ripping off a 8-1 win. Dena Irvin (Farmington, NM/Farmington High School)/Davida Aragon (Arenas Valley, NM/Cobre High School) took three games, but lost at No. 3, 8-3. In singles, Tiurina battled in a three-set fight in the top flight, as after she took the first set, 6-2, she dropped the second set, 5-7, before cruising in the final set, 6-1. WNMU also took No. 3 and No. 4 to clinch the match. Newell had no problems at No. 3 with a 6-4, 6-1 win. Berberic at No. 4 also had the same result, only reversed on the sets, taking the first 6-1 and 6-4. Vukadin came close at No. 2, as she dropped the first set, 3-6, but then came back for a 6-4 win to force it to three before dropping the last set, 6-4. Aragon won four games at No. 5, but lost in straight sets, 6-3, 6-1. At No. 6 Erica Rasmussen (/) dropped the first set, 6-4, then that was as far as they got before the match was called.


WNMU will also face Nebraska-Kearney on the women's side for the RMAC Championship that will take place at 12 p.m. UNK won the matchup last week, 7-2.