PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Western New Mexico women's tennis team collected a pair of wins this past weekend, defeating Metro State, 6-3, and Chaminade, 9-0. They also played two more matches falling against Academy of Art, 8-1, and Sonoma State, 7-2.


In the first matchup of the week, Western New Mexico University (WNMU) battled RMAC-foe Metro State and they dominated the Roadrunners in singles, taking five of six. At the top flight, Ganna Tiurina (Kiev, Ukraine/M.M. Gromov #227) came away with the 6-3, 7-5 victory. Ashley Newell (Las Vegas, NV/Silverado) had no problems at No. 2, taking the straight set 6-4, 6-2 win. Claudia Osuna (Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico/Tec Milenio ) at No. 3 had a tough battle, but she persevered with a 6-4, 6-4 victory. Marie Monier (Saint Etienne, France/St Paul Forez Montbrison) won her first match as a Lady Mustang, as after a 6-4 first set win, she cruised to a 6-2 second set victory at No. 4. Diamond Morrill (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) took her turn at No. 5 and fell, 6-2, 6-2, while Davida Aragon (Arenas Valley, NM/Cobre High School) came through with an impressive three-set win. She took the first set, 6-0, and then dropped the second, 4-6, before coming back with the 10-4 third set. In doubles, WNMU won the top flight behind Tiurina and Newell, 8-6. Metro State fought back to take the next two doubles match, with a 8-3 win at No. 2 defeating Doris Berberic (Lower Hutt, New Zealand/Hutt Valley High School) and Morrill and then a 8-4 win at No. 3 over Monier and Osuna.


The next match WNMU shut down Chaminade in a 9-0 win. In singles, Tiurina dominated at the top flight, 6-2, 6-0. Newell had no problems at No. 2 with a 6-2, 6-2 victory. Osuna pulled out a tough first set, 6-4, and then won easily in the second, 6-1. Monier dropped just two games in a 6-1, 6-1 win. Berberic nearly had a shutout, winning, 6-0, 6-1 at No. 5. In the final singles match, Aragon cruised to a 6-1, 6-2 win. In doubles, Tiurina/Newell fought through to win at No. 1, 8-4. Morrill/Berberic at No. 2 and Osuna/Monier at No. 3 had no problems at all with both winning, 8-0.


The Lady Mustangs ran into a pair of really tough teams to finish the weekend, as they dropped an 8-1 decision to Academy of Art. In singles, Tiurina came through in a close battle, as she won an exciting first set, 7-5, and then a 6-4 second set to win again at the top flight. At No. 2, Newell forced the match into the third set, as she dropped the opening set, 4-6, and then won 6-2 in the second before dropping a really close final set, 8-10. Osuna fell in straight sets at No. 3, 6-1, 6-0. Monier won six games at No. 4, falling 6-2, 6-4. At No. 5, Berberic was defeated, 6-0, 6-1. In the final singles match, Aragon at No. 6 lost, 6-0, 6-0.
In doubles, Tiurina and Newell came close at No. 1, hanging until the end before dropping an 8-6 decision. Berberic and Morrill lost 8-1 at No. 2 and Monier/Osuna fell at No. 3, 8-2.


In the final match of the weekend, WNMU stayed with Sonoma State as long as they could before an eventual 7-2 loss. In singles, Tiurina dropped the opening set at the top flight, 6-1 and then came back to get into a tiebreaker at No. 2 before dropping the set, 7-6 (2). WNMU then claimed the next two singles matches, with Newell winning at No. 2, 6-1, 6-4 and Osuna at No. 3, as she won a tiebreaker, 7-6 (2) in the opening set, before dropping a 4-6 second set and then came back for the 10-7 third set win. Berberic at No. 4 ran into a tough matchup falling, 6-1, 6-0. Monier came close at No. 5, as she won the first set, 6-2, and then dropped the second set in a tiebreaker, 6-7 (3). In the final set, Monier came close, but eventually fell, 10-7. In the final singles match, Aragon fell in straight sets, 6-0, 6-2. In doubles, Tiurina and Newell at No. 1 were in their match before Sonoma State came away with the 8-5 win. At No. 2, Monier and Osuna were within range throughout before dropping a tight, 8-6, decision. At No. 3, Berberic and Morrill won four games before losing, 8-4.


WNMU is now 3-3 on the season following the four matches played this past week. They will travel to Abilene, Tex., this week to face McMurry University and Abilene Christian on Friday and Saturday.