PHOENIX, Ariz. – Freshman Eli Arnaudova recorded her first singles victory in Western Athletic Conference play Saturday afternoon to give the NM State women's tennis team a 4-3 win over Grand Canyon.
 
The match clincher for Arnaudova came after she dropped her first set, 6-3. Playing in just her second conference dual match, Arnaudova dug deep and won the next two sets 6-3, 6-4 over GCU's Marie Deleval.
 
"This was a great weekend for us," head coach Ivan Fernandez said. "The girls played their hearts out and came out on top. We had a lot to prove this weekend. It was a great team effort…I'm super proud of these girls."
 
Arnaudova's dramatic win was made possible thanks to Rimpledeep Kaur and Chloe Jolliff, who won their respective matches on courts Nos. 2 and 3.
 
Kaur was dominant in her singles No. 2 match, whitewashing GCU's (6-8, 1-1 WAC) Alexandra Petrzalkova. Jolliff then gave the Aggies a 3-1 lead when she downed Susan Blakini 7-6, 6-1 at the No. 3 singles position.
 
Grand Canyon brought it within 3-2 of NM State (5-7, 2-0 WAC) when Lana Macukat defeated Erika Castillo Lopez 6-4, 6-3 at the No. 4 slot before Arnaudova closed the door.
 
Doubles action came down to Lindsay Harlas Jolliff after GCU tied things up with a win at No. 2 doubles.
 
Like for the majority of the dual season, Harlas and Jolliff came through for NM State with a 6-3 victory over their counterparts to give New Mexico State the doubles point.
 
The Aggies now return home for a pair of matches against Western New Mexico (March 25) and UT-Permian Basin (March 27).
 
NM State 4, Grand Canyon 3
March 19, 2016
Paso Racquet Club
Phoenix, Ariz.
 
Doubles

1. Castillo/Joyce (NMSU) def. Prudhomme/Baklini (GCU) – 6-3
2. Petrzalkova/Waschuk (GCU) def. Kaur/Shrivastav (NMSU) – 6-4
3. Harlas/Jolliff (NMSU) def. Macukat/Rinaldi (GCU) – 6-3

Order of finish: 1, 2, 3*
 

1. Tatum Prudhomme (GCU) def. Ashvarya Strivastav
2. Rimpledeep Kaur (NMSU) def. Alexandra Petrzalkova (GCU) – 6-0, 6-0
3. Chloe Jolliff (NMSU) def. Susan Baklini– 7-6, 6-1
4. Lana Macukat (GCU) def. Erika Castillo Lopez (NMSU) – 6-4, 6-3
5. Lana Rinaldi (GCU) def. Lindsay Harlas (NMSU) – 6-3, 6-1
6. Eli Arnaudova (NMSU) def. Marie Deleval (GCU) – 3-6, 6-3, 6-4

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