EL PASO - A strong start in doubles play did not translate to a win for the NM State tennis team as it fell 6-1 to Utah State Saturday afternoon at the El Paso Tennis and Swim Club.
DOUBLES
• Harsha Challa and Gavi Kalaga scored a dominant 6-0 triumph in top-flight tandem action, but Utah State made sure NM State would not take an early lead.
• Utah State collected 6-3 wins on lines two and three to open up an early 1-0 lead.
SINGLES
• The visitors' lead moved to 2-0 following Miranda Bishard's 6-0, 6-0 loss to Lias Kung in third-flight action.
• Lucija Josipovic was forced to retire on line six, giving Utah State's Annaliese County a 6-3, 3-1 (ret.) victory.
• Kalaga busted up Utah State's shutout bid by extending her singles winning streak to five matches. The junior's 6-1, 6-3 victory against Renata Lombera on line four pulled NM State within two points, 3-1, but Utah State sealed the deal after that.
• Reigning WAC Singles Athlete of the Week Bella Nguyen suffered a 6-4, 6-3 loss at the hands of Gabrielle Dekkers in fifth-flight play. That loss ensured Utah State would emerge as the winner.
• Both Challa and Chloe Gavino forced a seventh game in their respective opening sets, but both would wind up dropping their first sets by identical 7-5 scores. Challa came up short in a 7-5, 6-2 decision to Carolina Millan in top-flight action while Gavino lost 7-5, 6-4 to Zara Ryan on line two.
COMING UP NEXT
• The Aggies' next stop is Phoenix, Ariz., for a non-conference battle with Mountain West adversary Colorado State. That match has been set for Monday, March 15 at a site and time to be determined.
++NM State++
