ABILENE, Tex. – Facing a pair of the top teams in the nation, Abilene Christian University was able to defeat both Western New Mexico University tennis teams Saturday. The women fell, 9-0 and the men, 8-1.


On the women's side, Abilene Christian University, ranked No. 3 in the nation, held true to form. In singles, Ganna Tiurina (Kiev, Ukraine/M.M. Gromov #227) faced the No. 5 player in the nation and fell, 6-2, 6-0. Ashley Newell (Las Vegas, NV/Silverado) battled in her opening set at No. 2 before dropping the set, 6-3 and later 6-1 in the second. At No. 3, Claudio Osuna dropped the first set, 6-1 and then held tough in the second before falling, 6-3. Marie Monier (Saint Etienne, France/St Paul Forez Montbrison) grabbed two games in the first set at No. 4 before losing, 6-2, 6-0. Doris Berberic (Lower Hutt, New Zealand/Hutt Valley High School) fell at No. 5, 6-0, 6-1, while Diamond Morrill (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) lost at No. 6, 6-0, 6-2. In doubles, Tiurina and Newell faced the No. 5 doubles team and lost at the top flight position, 8-1. Morrill and Berberic took two games at No. 2 before bowing out, 8-2. Osuna and Monier came close at No. 3 winning four games before an 8-4 loss.


On the men's side, the No. 30 ranked Mustangs grabbed one match in singles. Against the No. 11 ranked team in the nation, Matthieu Covizzi (Noailly, France/) at No. 3 continued his great start to the season with an impressive 7-6, 6-4 victory. At the top flight, No. 30 Rodrigo Almeida (Arapongas, Brazil/Nene Lourenco High School) faced the No. 2 player in the nation and he put up a good fight before falling in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4. Juan Pablo Fuentes (Guadalajara, Mexico/) at No. 2 took three games before a 6-1, 6-2 setback. Alvaro Nunez (Madrid, Spain/) pulled out six games at No. 4 before a 6-2, 6-4 loss. It was the same for Roy Ulibarri (Dexter, NM/Dexter High School) at No. 5 only in a different order, as he lost, 6-4, 6-2. Jorge Carretero (Asturias, Spain/) matched up with the No. 45 ranked player in the nation and he also put up a good fight before a 6-4, 6-3 loss. In doubles, Almeida and Fuentes went up against the No. 3 ranked team at the top flight and fell, 8-3. At the No. 2 slot, Nunez and Ulibarri pulled out four games before an 8-4 defeat. In the final match at No. 3 Carretero and Covizzi were very close to a win, as they pushed the match as far as it would go before a 9-8 loss.


Both teams will now prepare for a trip to San Diego this coming Friday as they will each play four matches.