KANSAS CITY – The New Mexico State women's tennis team dropped a 5-2 decision to Grand Canyon on Friday at the Plaza Tennis Center.
 
The Aggies took an early lead in doubles action when Rimpledeep Kaur and Marie-Pier Thiffault clinched the doubles point for NM State (6-11, 2-2 WAC) with a gritty 7-5 victory over GCU's Lana Rinaldi and Emilia Occhipinti. Lindsay Harlas and Gabrielle Joyce gave the Aggies the chance to steal the doubles point when they picked up a 6-4 win on court No. 3 after the Lopes claimed No. 1 doubles.
 
Grand Canyon (9-5, 3-0 WAC) tied things up at 1-1 in singles play when Fanni Novak was ousted on court No. 6. Susan Baklini gave the Lopes the 2-1 lead later on at No. 3 singles when she bested Rebecca Keijzerwaard 6-2, 6-1.
 
Kaur's 6-0, 6-4 win over Tatum Prudhomme at the top singles court knotted the match back up before Harlas fell on court No. 5 6-2, 6-4, giving GCU the 3-2 lead. Vanessa Valdez battled on court No. 2 and forced a third set, but was defeated in three 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 to Alexandra Petrzalkov – which clinched the match for Grand Canyon. Eli Arnaudova fought her way back down a set to force a third, but had the same fate like Valdez and fell 6-3, 1-6, 6-3.
 
New Mexico State will now wrap up its conference slate on Saturday, April 1, against Chicago State. Saturday's match against the Cougars is currently set for 11 a.m. (MT), but could start at 1:30 p.m. (MT) indoors depending on the weather.