SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The Western New Mexico University women's tennis team played four tough matches in the last week in San Diego coming away with a 1-3 record.


After opening up with a win over Grossmont CC, the Lady Mustangs faced some big-time programs. The next day they played against Azusa Pacific falling, 9-0. Ganna Tiurina (Kiev, Ukraine/M.M. Gromov #227) faced the No. 17 ranked player in the nation at the top flight and fell in straight sets, 6-0, 6-0. Ashley Newell (Las Vegas, NV/Silverado) started strong at No. 2 winning the first set, 6-1. After dropping the second set, 6-1, she ended up dropping a tough three-set battle, 6-4. Claudia Osuna (Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico/Tec Milenio ) took two games at No. 3 losing in straight sets, 6-0, 6-2. Marie Monier (Saint Etienne, France/St Paul Forez Montbrison) at No. 4 came close to extending her match to three sets, as she followed up a 6-0 opening set loss by forcing the second set into a tiebreaker before succumbing, 7-6 (3). Doris Berberic (Lower Hutt, New Zealand/Hutt Valley High School) won two games in each set as she lost in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2. Davida Aragon (Arenas Valley, NM/Cobre High School) almost had the same result, as she lost, 6-2, 6-1 at No. 6. In doubles, Tiurina and Newell came close in their top flight match falling, 8-6 to the No. 10 ranked duo in the nation. Berberic and Diamond Morrill (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) fell at No. 2, 8-0, while Osuna and Monier dropped a 4-2 match at No. 3 having to end the match early.


Two days later, WNMU faced off against No. 32 UC-San Diego dropping an 8-1 decision. Tiurina started things strong in singles, as she came back after falling in the opening set, 6-1, to take the second set, 6-2 and then won an exciting third set, 10-8, at the top flight. Newell, Berberic and Aragon all fell in straight sets, 6-0, 6-0 at No. 2, No. 4 and No. 6, respectively. Osuna and Morrill had the same score as well, falling 6-2, 6-0 at No. 3 and No. 5, respectively. In doubles, Newell and Tiurina fought well before dropping an 8-4 decision. Aragon and Osuna fell at No. 2, 8-2, while Berberic and Morrill came ever so close to a win at No. 3, forcing the match into a tiebreaker before a close loss, 9-8 (2).


Rounding out the week they played against Point Loma University dropping the match, 8-1. In singles, Osuna won the only match at No. 3 winning in a super tiebreaker as the match had already been decided, 10-7. Tiurina gave it her best shot at No. 1, as she won the opening set, 6-4, but then lost the next two sets to fall in three, 7-5, 10-7. Newell won five games at No. 2 before a 6-3, 6-2 setback. Berberic at No. 4 and Morrill at No. 5 fell by the same scores of 6-2, 6-2. Aragon lost at No. 6, 6-0, 6-0. In doubles, Tiurina and Newell came the closest winning four games before an 8-4 loss. Osuna and Aragon, along with Berberic and Morrill had the same results dropping their matches, 8-3 at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively.


Following the four matches this week, WNMU is now 5-7 on the season. They will face Division I New Mexico State University on March 8 in Las Cruces. They will also play Tarleton State University and Division I the University of Texas-El Paso on March 9 and 10, respectively.