March 23, 2008

The winning continues for The University of Texas-Pan American women's tennis team as they posted their 13th victory of the season against Western Athletic Conference-foe New Mexico State this afternoon at the Orville Cox Tennis Center.

With the 5-2 win, the Lady Broncs improved to 13-6 overall and with six games remaining on the 2008 campaign, UTPA looks to finish with one of the best records in women's program history.

"Today's win was huge for the program," said head men's and women's tennis coach Rob Hubbard. " I was really proud of all the girls, especially Stephanie, Julia and Luisa, all three were 2-0 on the day and Stephanie clinched the match with her singles win and came from behind in doubles (with Luisa) for the victory."

The Lady Broncs began Easter Sunday with doubles' action as Giana Oliveira and Julia Cirne-Lima led things off with a 8-3 win over Aleksa Costa and Sophia Marks in the top flight while tandem Silke Buksik and Megan Bedeau were unable to captured their 14th win when they dropped a 8-2 decision to Zeljka Juricek and Stephanie Eusebe in the second flight.

In the third flight, Stephanie Willerding and Luisa Cantu dug themselves in a 4-0 deficit but were able to pull a dramatic 8-6 victory over Anne Fagegaltier and Paulina Zuniga and give the Lady Broncs a 1-0 lead heading into singles' play.

With the Lady Broncs capturing the doubles' point, the women headed into singles' action determined to post their fourth straight win against one of the top universities in the Western Athletic Conference.

In the number-one spot of the lineup, Oliveira dropped a 7-5, 6-0 decision over Marks while Cirne-Lima recorded an 7-5, 6-0 victory against Juricek in the number-two spot.

Bedeau suffered a 7-5, 7-5 setback over Eusebe playing in the number-three lineup spot while Willerding clinched the fighting point as she handed Fagegaltier an 6-1, 6-4 setback in the fourth flight.

Collecting her eighth straight win was senior captain Buksik who posted a 6-3, ret. win over Costa in the number-five position of the lineup. Buksik has recorded 15 victories in her last 16 matches this season.

Cantu finished off singles' play with a 6-3, 7-5 victory against Zuniga in the sixth flight. Cantu, Cirne-Lima and Willerding were the only Lady Broncs to recorded wins in both of their singles' and doubles' matches.

The Lady Broncs will be back in action against Southland Conference foe-McNeese State on Wednesday (Mar. 26) at 2:30 p.m. at the Orville Cox Tennis Center.

UTPA Sports Information