LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A key point in doubles play could've swung things the other way in NM State's 5-2 loss to Pacific on Saturday at the Fertitta Tennis Complex on the campus of UNLV.
 
"We had a close one today," head women's tennis coach Ivan Fernandez said. "That tiebreaker loss at doubles No. 2 could've made a difference."
 
After Pacific took the 1-0 lead, NM State's No. 3 doubles pair of Chloe Jolliff and Lindsay Harlas took down UOP's Yuki Asami and Annaroos Nederstigt, 6-3, to bring it down to court No. 2.
 
Rimpledeep Kaur and Ashvarya Shrivastav battled the Tigers' Katie Dyson and Maayan Sela back-and-forth to make it 6-6 before ultimately dropping the match in a tiebreaker, 7-6.
 
NM State (2-0) quickly trailed Pacific (2-1) once singles play started, falling on courts No. 2 and No. 4. The Tigers clinched the match on court No. 1 when Shrivastav fell to Viktoriya Dzyuba 6-1, 6-1.
 
However, the Aggies were able to steal a pair of wins at No. 3 and No. 6 singles from Kaur and Mia Brandt.
 
NM State will now take on Weber State at 11 a.m. (MT) on Sunday in its final match of the weekend in Las Vegas.
 
"We need to stay positive and believe that we will turn this around tomorrow," said Fernandez.
 
Match #2
Pacific 5, NM State 2
January 30, 2016
Fertitta Tennis Complex
Las Vegas, Nev.
 
Doubles

1. Dzyuba/Saenz de BR (PAC) def. Castillo Lopez/Joyce (NMSU) – 6-0
2. Dyson/Sela (PAC) def. Kaur/Shrivastav (NMSU) – 7-6
3. Jolliff/Harlas (NMSU) def. Asami/Nederstigt (PAC) – 6-3

Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2*
 
Singles

1. Viktoriya Dzyuba (PAC) def. Ashvarya Shrivastav (NMSU) – 6-1, 6-1
2. Maayan Sela (PAC) def. Eriaka Castillo Lopez (NMSU) – 6-2, 6-1
3. Rimpledeep Kaur (NMSU) def. Katie Dyson (PAC) – 6-2, 6-1
4. Cristina Saenz de BR (PAC) def. Marie-Pier Thiffault – 6-2, 6-1
5. Yuki Asami (PAC) def. Lindsay Harlas (NMSU) 6-1, 6-1
6. Mia Brandt (NMSU) def. Sabrina Rodriguez (PAC) 7-5, 4-6, 10-9

Order of Finish: 2, 4, 1*, 3, 5, 6