LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Riding an eight-match winning-streak, the New Mexico State women's tennis team will head down to El Paso for a battle with I-10 rival, UTEP, at 4 p.m. on Friday, April 15, at the Coronado Country Club. Then, on Sunday, April 17, NM State will take on No. 53 New Mexico in the Rio Grande Rivalry for senior day.
 
UNDEFEATED CHAMPS
For the first time since the league sponsored a championship with six members, the NM State women's tennis team captured its first-ever Western Athletic Conference regular-season championship last weekend. The Aggies finished the conference season in undefeated fashion, going 5-0 on the year with.
 
This season's regular-season championship comes at the heels of the Aggies capturing their first WAC Championship last season, earning their first trip to the NCAA Tournament in program history.
 
CHAMPIONS IN THE CLASSROOM
The NM State women's tennis team earned the Public Recognition Award as announced by the NCAA for its latest multi-year Academic Progress Report (2011-2015). This is the second-straight year the women's tennis team has earned a perfect 1,000 APR score.
 
HOT AGGIES
The eight-match winning-streak for NM State is the longest in program history since 2002 when the Aggies reeled off a program record 13-straight wins. New Mexico State has only won eight-straight matches two other times in program history (1996, 2000).
 
Ashvarya Shrivastav, Rimpledeep Kaur and Elena Arnaudova have won five-straight singles matches heading into this weekend's dual with the Miners.
 
NM State's No. 3 doubles tandem has been a consistent force on the court, earning their 10th win of the dual season last weekend in Chicago.
 
SCOUTING THE MINERS
UTEP enters this Friday's match-up 9-8 on the year and 2-1 in Conference USA. The Miners have only played three matches at home this season, sporting a 2-1 record. Vivienne Kulicke, who is No. 108 in the nation according to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings, paces UTEP with a 22-8 singles record and 12-3 mark in dual play – all at the No. 1 position.
 
Five other players have double-digit wins for UTEP. Lois Wagenvoort is 15-16 while Raven Bennett is 14-11. Duda Santos, who plays at the No. 3 position predominantly, is 12-14 while Daphne Visscher is 11-18. Matilda Tench rounds thing for the Miners with a 10-17 mark.
 
The Miners also have three doubles teams with 10-plus wins. Vischer and Wagenvoort, who play at the No. 2 slot, are 13-12 while Kulicke and Santos are 13-11. Bennett and Tench are an even .500 at 10-10.
 
RIO GRANDE RIVALRY
On senior day, the Aggies take on New Mexico at 10 a.m. (MT) as Mia Brandt, Erika Castillo Lopez, Chloe Jolliff and Ashvarya Shrivastav will take the court one last time for the Crimson & White at the NMSU Tennis Center.
 
All seven players for the 53rd-ranked Lobos have registered double-digit wins, including a pair of 20-match winners in Andrea LeBlanc (23-12) and Rachana Bhat (21-6). However, Ludivine Burguiere (19-3), Ruth Copas (19-9) and Sharon Coone (18-10) are close behind.
 
On the doubles side, the team of Bhat and LeBlanc are 8-1 overall and 4-1 in dual play. The two play at the No. 2 doubles position and have won four-straight. Copas and LeBlanc have also played at the No. 2 slot in dual action, posting a 4-2 mark.
 
Dominique Dulski and Emily Olivier occupy the top doubles slot and are 6-3 on the year, including a five-match winning-streak.
 
UP NEXT
NM State looks to defend its WAC Championship title in Brownsville, Texas, beginning on Friday, April 29.