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EL PASO, TEXAS- The UTEP tennis team dominated from the opening point en route to dismantling in-state foe UTPA, 7-0, at the El Paso Tennis Club Thursday afternoon.
The Miners’ (6-4) winning streak is now at six, which equals the second-longest in school history. The program standard (seven) was set last year, and UTEP will have a chance to match that if it can best Northern Arizona at 1 p.m. MT on Friday.
The Lady Broncs (0-7) had aspirations of stopping the stretch, but the Orange and Blue overwhelmed the visitors by claiming all but one match.
“Our ladies did a good job of maintaining their focus and intensity,” UTEP head coach Jamie Campbell said. “We played very sharp today, and are happy with their mental performance.”
UTEP took control of the match early on, with victories at No. 1 and No. 3 doubles to secure the afforded point. It was the DeLuca sisters drilling the UTPA tandem of Luisa Cantu/Megan Bedeu, 8-2, to set the tone. Veronika Makashov and Austin Lavallii were victorious by default at the third slot to deliver the doubles point.
Nina Ciric/Andrea Salvetova snuck past the Miner tandem of Ximena Fuentes/Alexandra Glebova, 8-6, at No. 2 doubles but it proved to be a moot point.
Following a quick break, singles play commenced where UTEP continued to sizzle. Carolina DeLuca trounced Bedeau, 6-2, 6-2, at No. 2 singles to get things going. Glebova followed suit by waxing Salvetova at No. 4 singles, 6-1, 6-2.
Dariya Abdrakhmanova squared off against Cantu at No. 1 singles, with the freshman picking up a straight set triumph. She was pushed in the initial set but prevailed by a count of 7-5. She elevated her efforts in the second set, and the result was her putting Cantu away with much greater ease (6-2).
Marina DeLuca had a similar situation at No. 3 singles in the match vs. Ciric. Things went back-and-forth in the opening set, but DeLuca got it done in the clutch with a 7-6 (7-1) win. In the second stanza, DeLuca made quick work of Ciric (6-1).
Fuentes and Makashov also were victorious, each securing triumphs via default.
Singles Competition
1. Dariya Abdrakhmanova (UTEP) def. Luisa Cantu (UTPA) 7-5, 6-2
2. Carolina DeLuca (UTEP) def. Megan Bedeau (UTPA) 6-2, 6-2
3. Marina DeLuca (UTEP) def. Nina Ciric (UTPA) 7-6 (7-1), 6-1
4. Alexandra Glebova (UTEP) def. Andrea Salvetova (UTPA) 6-1, 6-2
5. Ximena Fuentes (UTEP) def. No player (UTPA), by default
6. Veronika Makashov (UTEP) def. No player (UTPA), by default
Doubles competition
1. Carolina DeLuca/Marina DeLuca (UTEP) def. Luisa Cantu/Megan Bedeau (UTPA) 8-2
2. Nina Ciric/Andrea Salvetova (UTPA) def. Ximena Fuentes/Alexandra Glebova (UTEP) 8-6
3. Veronika Makashov/Austin Lavallii (UTEP) def. No player/No player (UTPA), by default
