SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Facing the top team in the region and winners of 18 straight, the Western New Mexico University women's tennis team battled No. 13 St. Mary's (TX) before the Lady Rattlers claimed the 5-0 win in the South Central Regional on Saturday morning.
In doubles,
Claudia Osuna (Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico/Tec Milenio )/
Pauline Emin (Viry, France/Lycee Arbez Carme) came closest to tallying a victory posting four games at No. 3 before falling, 4-8. Sisters
Ashley Newell (Las Vegas, NV/Silverado)/
Tiffany Newell (Las Vegas, NV/Silverado ) grabbed the games in their match at No. 2 before falling, 3-8, against the No. 21 ranked doubles team.
Ganna Tiurina (Kiev, Ukraine/M.M. Gromov #227)/
Annica Betz (Celle, Germany/Kaiserin Auguste Viktoria Gymnasium) had a difficult draw at the top flight against the No. 7 doubles team in the nation falling, 1-8.
In singles, St. Mary's was able to collected the decisive final two points by winning No. 2 and No. 3 as Betz fell to the No. 43 ranked player in the nation at No. 2, 0-6, 1-6, while
Ashley Newell (Las Vegas, NV/Silverado) fell at No. 3, 1-6, 0-6. Emin was beginning to work her way back into her match at No. 5 as after dropping the first set, 1-6, she was tied at three in the second.
Tiffany Newell (Las Vegas, NV/Silverado ) was well on her way to forcing a third set at No. 6 as she also came back strong from dropping the first set, 1-6, and was in control ahead 4-0 in the second. Tiurina at the top flight was facing the No. 31 ranked player in the nation and after losing the first set, 2-6, she was within range in the second set trailing, 2-3. Osuna at No. 4 lost her opening set, 2-6, and was behind, 1-3, in the second set.
With the win by the Lady Rattlers, they improve to 20-1 on the season and advance to the NCAA Championships. The Lady Mustangs finish the season 12-12, after claiming their third RMAC Tournament title in the last four years this season.
End of the season leaders include: Emin and Tiurina tied for team wins in singles (14), Betz/Tiurina tallied the most doubles victories as a duo (10), Emin also had 10 playing with a couple of different doubles combinations in Osuna (8) and
Ashley Newell (Las Vegas, NV/Silverado) (2). It was the final matches as Lady Mustangs for
Ganna Tiurina (Kiev, Ukraine/M.M. Gromov #227) and
Pauline Emin (Viry, France/Lycee Arbez Carme). Tiurina leaves setting nearly every WNMU record for women's tennis since moving to Division II.
