STEPHENVILLE – Tarleton rallied from a 2-1 deficit after doubles play to win four singles matches and survive a Lone Star Conference showdown against Western New Mexico Saturday afternoon.
"We got the chance to recognize our seniors today and it was a tough match for us on their day," said head coach
Lance Drake. "We got off to a quick start with a win in No. 3 doubles, but we weren't as sharp as we needed to be in the No. 1 and No. 2 matches. Give credit to Western New Mexico because they took advantage of our unforced errors.
"We had to battle through some injuries today," he continued. "We didn't have Alicia and she's been a rock for us, but the girls were able to find a way to get the win. Ashleigh, Tori, and Luiza played well throughout and Erika did a great job of clinching it for us. I was very proud of the way we battled back after Dublin."
Tori Simmons and
Ashleigh Elward wasted no time in securing Tarleton's only doubles victory of the afternoon with an 8-1 score in the No. 3 match.
Then the action turned towards singles and the TexAnns continued to chip away at the deficit with a 6-0, 6-1 win by Simmons in the No. 5 match, a 6-1, 6-1 win in the No. 4 match of the gate, and a 6-3, 6-1 winner in the No. 3 match.
Erika Johnston pulled off a 7-6 tiebreak in her No. 1 match to secure the win for Tarleton. Johnston won 7-6, 6-3.
Here's a complete look at this afternoon's complete box score:
Doubles:
1. Annely Heinze/Gemma Goodland (WNMU) def.
Elena Preadca/
Luiza Ferraro-Adas (TSU) 8-4
2. Tiffany Newell/Jeanne Kolb (WNMU) def.
Erika Johnston/
Ellie Stevens (TSU) 8-6
3.
Ashleigh Elward/
Tori Simmons (TSU) def. Emma Siboni/Nadia Justiniano (WNMU) 8-1
Singles:
1.
Erika Johnston (TSU) def. Tiffany Newell (WNMU) 7-6, 6-3
2. Annely Heinze (WNMU) def.
Elena Preadca (TSU) 6-2, 6-0
3.
Ashleigh Elward (TSU) def. Gemma Goodland (WNMU) 6-3, 6-1
4.
Luiza Ferraro-Adas (TSU) def. Jeanne Kolb (WNMU) 6-1, 6-1
5.
Tori Simmons (TSU) def. Karina Diaz (WNMU) 6-0, 6-1
6. Emma Siboni (WNMU) def.
Ellie Stevens (TSU) 7-5, 6-2
Tarleton will head to Austin Tuesday for a 3 p.m. makeup match against St. Edward's after weather forced the teams to postponed this week.
