Texas Border Business
RIO GRANDE VALLEY, Texas – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros women’s tennis team defeated the Omaha Mavericks 5-2 on a windy and chilly Sunday at the Orville Cox Tennis Center.
UTRGV’s (7-4) doubles lineup looked a little different against the Mavericks. Sophomore Isabelle Bahr and senior Katarina Sasaroga paired up for the first time this spring and cruised to a 6-0 win at No. 2. Senior Sandra Putz and junior Kristyna Mamicova reunited at No. 3 and picked up a 6-3 win to clinch the doubles point and 1-0 lead for the Vaqueros.
The Vaqueros extended the lead to 2-0 with a quick 6-2, 6-0 win by freshman Barbara Martinez at singles No. 4. Omaha (8-6) got one back with a win at No. 6.
Freshman Marjorie Souza picked up a gritty win in her No. 2 bout. After taking a 6-4 win in the first set, she found herself trailing 1-4 in the second. She clawed back to tie the frame at 6-6, then outlasted Natalie Lorentz in the tiebreaker with a dominant 7-1 win to make it 3-1 in favor of the Vaqueros.
Putz, making the leap to the No. 3 flight, earned an impressive come-from-behind victory. She rebounded from a 3-6 first set loss to take the second 6-3, then controlled much of the third set. Putz won the clincher 6-3 to secure UTRGV’s victory at 4-1.
Shortly after, Bahr picked up her third win in a row at No. 1. She and Ines Absisan split the first two, with Bahr taking the first, then played a tightly contested third set. Bahr found her roll and pulled away for a 6-3 victory.
All eyes turned to junior Harlingen South alum Valeria Montero, who was locked in a slugfest at No. 5. She handily won her first set 6-1, then battled from down 1-5 in a 3-6 loss to Addison Miller. The two swapped games to a 5-5 tie, then Miller took the 7-5 win.
UTRGV will play NJIT on Monday at 12 p.m. at the Brownsville Tennis Center and host a free kids clinic after the match from 4:30-6 p.m.
Complete Results
Singles (4, 6, 2, 3, 1, 5)
1. Isabelle Bahr (UTRGV) def. Ines Absisan (UNO) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3
2. Marjorie Souza (UTRGV) def. Natalie Lorentz (UNO) 6-4, 7-6 (7-1)
3. Sandra Putz (UTRGV) def. Keegan VanPelt (UNO) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3
4. Barbara Martinez (UTRGV) def. Lillian Tiemeyer (UNO) 6-2, 6-0
5. Addison Miller (UNO) def. Valeria Montero (UTRGV) 1-6, 6-3, 7-5
6. Brooke Covington (UNO) def. Alicia Thal (UTRGV) 6-2, 6-4
Doubles (2, 3)
1. Barbara Martinez/Marjorie Souza (UTRGV) vs. Madison Gallegos/Ines Absisan (UNO), 2-5 unfinished
2. Isabelle Bahr/Katarina Sasaroga (UTRGV) def. Natalie Lorentz/Keegan VanPelt (UNO) 6-0
3. Sandra Putz/Kristyna Mamicova (UTRGV) def. Colby Kelley/Rachel Osborn (UNO) 6-3
