LAS CRUCES, N.M. – It was a great start for the New Mexico State women's tennis team on Friday as they reeled off 10 wins between doubles and singles play to kick off the 2016-17 season at the Aggie Invitational hosted at the NMSU Tennis Center.
 
The three doubles teams for NM State opened things up with wins on all three courts, including a thrilling 8-7 victory for Lindsay Harlas and Vanessa Casas over UT Permian Basin's Andrea Villalobos and Eugenia Sanchez.
 
"We had a great start," head coach Ivan Fernandez said. "It was good to see some different competition after preparing for weeks for this event. We know day two will be tougher, but we are ready."
 
In singles play, Casas made quick work of the Falcon's Maria Orona with a 6-1, 6-3 win in the crimson flight. Over on the white flight, Harlas easily won her first set 6-2 over Maria Medina of UTEP before getting challenged in the second set. However, the Las Cruces native was able to claim the second set, 7-5. Rebecca Keijzerwaard started the day with a bye in the same flight as Harlas, but was bested by Grand Canyon's Lana Rinaldi 6-2, 6-2.
 
In the gold flight, Gabrielle Joyce sent Eugenia Sanchez packing after taking the match 6-2, 6-4. Fanni Novak joined Casas by winning her first-ever collegiate singles match when she defeated Western New Mexico's Jeanne Kolb 6-4, 6-3.
 
Lastly, in the silver flight, Eli Arnaudova bested WNMU's Emma Siboni 6-1, 6-5 while Sarah Van Eeckhoudt took down UTPB's Sofia Ochoa in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2.
 
The Aggies hope to continue their success on the court on Saturday at the Aggie Invitational with doubles play kicking things off once again at 9 a.m.
 
Aggie Invitational (Day 1)
Doubles
White Flight
Joyce/Keijzerwaard (NMSU) def. Goodland/Heinze (WNMU) – 8-0
 
Crimson Flight
Harlas/Casas (NMSU) def. Villalobos/Sanchez (UTPB) – 8-7
Copas (UNM)/Arnaudova (NMSU) def. Newell/Kolb (WNMU) – 8-4
 
Silver Flight
Novak/Van Eeckhoudt (NMSU) def. Ochoa/Obreque (UTPB) – 8-1
 
Singles
Crimson Flight
Vanessa Casas (NMSU) def. Maria Orona (UTPB) – 6-1, 6-3
 
White Flight
Rebecca Keijzerwaard (NMSU) – BYE
Lindsay Harlas (NMSU) - BYE
Lana Rinaldi (GCU) def. Rebecca Keijzerwaard (NMSU) – 6-2, 6-2
Lindsay Harlas (NMSU) def. Maria Medina (UTEP) – 6-2, 7-5
 
Gold Flight
Gabrielle Joyce (NMSU) def. Eugenia Sanchez (UTPB) – 6-2, 6-4
Fanni Novak (NMSU) def. Jeanne Kolb (WNMU) – 6-4, 6-3
 
Silver Flight (Round Robin)
Eli Arnaudova (NMSU) def. Emma Siboni (WNMU) – 6-1, 7-5
Sarah Van Eeckhoudt (NMSU) def. Sofia Ochoa (UTPB) – 6-2, 6-2