LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Freshman Carlotta Mencaglia secured her second singles win in as many days in the UTEP tennis team’s 6-1 setback at UNLV Saturday.
Mencaglia took out Aura Fan, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4, in an impressive effort at No. 5 singles. The Miners (1-4) also tasted victory at No. 1 doubles with Veronika Lebisova and Thassane Abrahim joining forces for a 6-3 victory over Molly Helgesson and Zita Kovacs at No. 1 doubles.
“It was another tough day,” UTEP head coach Ivan Fernandez said. “We made some changes in the line-up to see if we could change the outcome. We saw some improvements today, but they were the stronger team.”
Mencaglia and Eve Daniels were clipped by the Rebels’ (2-0) Salsa Aher and Cindy Hu, 6-3, at No. 2 doubles while the Miner pairing of Kathleen Percegona and Lina Sachica were upended by Aura Fang and CoCo Zhao, 6-1, at No. 3 doubles.
Percegona was knocked off by Molly Helgesson, 6-4, 6-2, at the top position. Lebisova, who picked up a victory against Youngstown State on Feb. 4, was upended by Hu, 6-3, 6-3, at No. 3 singles. Elena Dibattista went down by a final count of 6-3, 6-2, to Zita Kovacs at No. 2 singles.
Aher bested Abrahim, 6-1, 6-0, at No. 4 singles while Daniels fell to Zhao, 6-1, 6-0.
The Miners will look to bounce back when they face Weber State at 10 a.m. PT/11 a.m. MT in Las Vegas on Sunday.
Singles competition
1. Molly Helgesson (UNLV) def. Kathleen Percegona (UTEP) 6-4, 6-2
2. Zita Kovacs (UNLV) def. Elena Dibattista (UTEP) 6-3, 6-2
3. Cindy Hu (UNLV) def. Veronika Lebisova (UTEP) 6-3, 6-3
4. Salsa Aher (UNLV) def. Thassane Abrahim (UTEP) 6-1, 6-0
5. Carlotta Mencaglia (UTEP) def. Aura Fang (UNLV) 7-6 (7-4), 6-4
6. CoCo Zhao (UNLV) def. Eve Daniels (UTEP) 6-1, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. Veronika Lebisova/Thassane Abrahim (UTEP) def. Molly Helgesson/Zita Kovacs (UNLV) 6-3
2. Salsa Aher/Cindy Hu (UNLV) def. Carlotta Mencaglia/Eve Daniels (UTEP) 6-3
3. Aura Fang/CoCo Zhao (UNLV) def. Kathleen Percegona/Lina Sachica (UTEP) 6-1
Match Notes:
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1,2); Singles (6,4,2,3,1,5)
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