ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Colorado State University Pueblo women's tennis team dropped a 4–0 decision to Western New Mexico on Sunday afternoon at the McKinnon Family Tennis Stadium on the campus of the University of New Mexico.
Sunday's match was the second of the day for the ThunderWolves, who opened the spring semester schedule after the Pack fell earlier in the day, 7-0, to NCAA Division I University of New Mexico.
The Mustangs (1-1) secured the doubles point with wins at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles before earning three straight singles victories to clinch the match. CSU Pueblo fell to 0-5 on the season.
At No. 1 doubles, senior Margot Aebischer (Etupes, France/Eastern Arizona College) and freshman Fernanda Martinez (Queretaro, Mexico/Internatrional School of Queretaro) picked up a 6-3 victory for the ThunderWolves over Josefina Bailetti and Nikoletta Pytel, but Western New Mexico answered with a 6-1 win at No. 2 and a 6-3 decision at No. 3 to take the early 1-0 lead in the match.
In singles play, the Mustangs earned straight-set wins at the No. 3, No. 4, and No. 2 positions to secure the dual. Lucia Carmena defeated senior Bella Hernandez (Rocklin, Calif./MSU Denver) 6-1, 6-0 at No. 3, followed by Eva Guta's 6-0, 6-0 victory over senior Laney Reddick (Sacramento, Calif./MSU Denver) at No. 4. Bailetti then clinched the match with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Martinez at No. 2.
Three singles matches went unfinished after the match was decided as Aebischer led Pytel 6-4, 1-0 at No. 1 singles, while junior Yelena Travica (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Maples Collegiate) was tied 5-5 at No. 5 and sophomore MaKayla Martinez (Pueblo, Colo./Pueblo County) trailed 7-5 at No. 6 when play was halted.
The Pack will continue its spring schedule on February 27 as they face Newman University in an 11 a.m. match in Edmond, Okla., as part of the University of Central Oklahoma Invitational. The Pack will also play Central Oklahoma on Feb. 28 and conclude the event on March 1 against Arkansas Tech.
Western New Mexico 4, CSU Pueblo 0
Singles Competition
No. 1 – Nikoletta Pytel (WNMU) vs. Margot Aebischer (CSUP), unfinished (Aebischer led 6-4, 1-0)
No. 2 – Josefina Bailetti (WNMU) def. Fernanda Martinez (CSUP), 6-0, 6-1
No. 3 – Lucia Carmena (WNMU) def. Bella Hernandez (CSUP), 6-1, 6-0
No. 4 – Eva Guta (WNMU) def. Laney Reddick (CSUP), 6-0, 6-0
No. 5 – Xaviera Melgar (WNMU) vs. Yelena Travica (CSUP), unfinished (tied 5-5)
No. 6 – Sofija Krstic (WNMU) vs. MaKayla Martinez (CSUP), unfinished (Krstic led 7-5)
Order of finish: 3, 4, 2
Doubles Competition
No. 1 – Aebischer/Martinez (CSUP) def. Bailetti/Pytel (WNMU), 6-3
No. 2 – Guta/Melgar (WNMU) def. Hernandez/Reddick (CSUP), 6-1
No. 3 – Carmena/Krstic (WNMU) def. MaKayla Martinez/Travica (CSUP), 6-3
Order of finish: 2, 3, 1
