EDINBURG, Texas – Lindsay Harlas once again came through for the New Mexico state women's tennis team, capturing match point for the second-straight match and catapulted the Aggies to a 2-0 start in Western Athletic Conference play with the 4-3 win over Grand Canyon on Sunday at the Orville Cox Tennis Center.
 
Unlike Saturday, NM State (7-10, 2-0 WAC) the doubles point proved critical to the Aggies defeating the Lopes on Sunday. Yadira Rubio and Quinty Janssen first took down Grand Canyon's No. 2 doubles team 6-1 before Rebecca Keijzerwaard and Harlas were bested 6-2 at the top doubles position.
 
With doubles knotted at 1-1, Eli Arnaudova and Helena Colvee dug deep and fended off GCU's Martina Lo Pumo and Autum Prudhomme 7-6 (8-6) in a taxing back-and-forth battle for the doubles point.
 
Keijzerwaard made quick work of her counterpart once singles action started and cruised to a 6-4, 6-1 win at the top singles slot against Lo Pumo. GCU's Emilia Occhipinti cut the Aggie lead in half, 2-1, later on court No. 3 when she bested Janssen 6-1, 6-2. The Lopes tied things up at 2-2 after Arnaudova was ousted by Celina Buhr 6-3, 6-3 on court No. 5.
 
Grand Canyon (6-12, 1-2 WAC) took its only lead of the match, 3-2, when Kylie Waschuk took down Colvee at No. 6 singles 6-3, 6-3. Like the previous two matches that finished, Rubio was able to return the favor and topple GCU's Mokrova Valentina in straight sets 6-3, 6-3 – which put the match at 3-3 and set up Harlas.
 
Time was all Harlas needed on court No. 2 as she finished off Lana Rinaldi in similar fashion 6-3, 6-3 and captured match point for the Aggies.
 
New Mexico State now returns home for a non-conference match-up against Battle of I-25 rival New Mexico before hitting the road once again the following week to resume WAC play. First serve against the Lobos is scheduled for 10 a.m. (MT) on Friday, March 30, at the NM State Tennis Center. Admission is free for all fans at all NM State men's and women's tennis matches.
 
New Mexico State vs Grand Canyon University
Mar 25, 2018 at Edinburg, TX
(Orville Cox Tennis Center)
New Mexico State 4, Grand Canyon University 3

Singles competition
1. Keijzerwaard,Rebecca (NMSU) def. Lo Pumo, Martina (GCUWT) 6-4, 6-1
2. Harlas, Lindsay (NMSU) def. Rinaldi, Lana (GCUWT) 6-3, 6-3
3. Occhipinti, Emilia (GCUWT) def. Janssen, Quinty (NMSU) 6-1, 6-2
4. Rubio, Yadira (NMSU) def. Mokrova, Valentina (GCUWT) 6-3, 6-3
5. Buhr, Celina (GCUWT) def. Arnaudova, Eli (NMSU) 6-3, 6-3
6. Waschuk, Kylie (GCUWT) def. Colvee, Helena (NMSU) 6-3, 6-3
 
Doubles competition
1. Rinaldi, Lana/Occhipinti, Emilia (GCUWT) def. Keijzerwaard,Rebecca/Harlas, Lindsay (NMSU) 6-2
2. Rubio, Yadira/Janssen, Quinty (NMSU) def. Mokrova, Valentina/Buhr, Celina (GCUWT) 6-1
3. Arnaudova, Eli/Colvee, Helena (NMSU) def. Lo Pumo, Martina/Prudhomme, Autum (GCUWT) 7-6 (8-6)
 
Match Notes:
New Mexico State 7-10, 2-0 WAC
Grand Canyon University 6-12, 1-2 WAC
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (1,3,5,6,4,2)