EL PASO – Tarleton managed two of the seven possible match points despite playing shorthanded yet again as the No. 19 TexAnns won the doubles point and Alicia Barbaroux claimed another top-seeded singles victory over a Division I opponent Sunday afternoon.
 
"It was a tough match today," said head coach Lance Drake. "The challenge was to come out and play with more energy than yesterday and I thought our girls did that and played good tennis today. We had some good chances to win this match today, which started with us taking doubles. I'm incredibly proud of this group and their willingness to battle."
 
The day began with Tarleton taking the doubles point by winning both of the doubles matches in which they competed.
 
Alicia Barbaroux and Sherine Salem took the top match with a 6-3 win while Shelby Fillingame and Neetika Sud handled the No. 2 match by the same score. The TexAnns had to forfeit the No. 3 match due to limited rosters, but Division I rules award only one point to the team with two doubles' wins so the TexAnns went into singles play with a 1-0 lead for the day.
 
Tarleton had to surrender points in the No. 5 and 6 matches, needing wins in the three of the top four singles' matches to take the victory on the day. Despite valiant efforts throughout the lineup, only Barbaroux came across victorious with a 6-4, 6-1 win over UTEP's Raven Bennett.
 
"Alicia played really well all weekend long," said Drake. "Sherine was serving for match point but a couple bad points and some solid play by (Chloe Purkiss) closed out the match for UTEP.
 
"Neetika had an opportunity to win hers as well," he continued. "She hit a shot that everyone thought was in that would have won her the match, but her opponent called it out and the official didn't overrule. She did a good job of keeping her composure, but we'll learn from today and move forward."
 
The complete results from the match are as follows:
 
DOUBLES
1. Alicia Barbaroux/Sherine Salem (TSU) def. Lois Wagenvoort/Raven Bennett (UTEP) 6-3
2. Shelby Fillingame/Neetika Sud (TSU) def. Milena Baigorria/Chloe Purkiss (UTEP) 6-3
3. Yvette Van Oijen/Alisa Morozova (UTEP) def. No player/No player (TSU), by forfeit
 
SINGLES
1. Alicia Barbaroux (TSU) def. Raven Bennett (UTEP) 6-4, 6-1
2. Erandi Martinez (UTEP) def. Neetika Sud (TSU) 6-3, 6-7, 7-6
3. Chloe Purkiss (UTEP) def. Sherine Salem (TSU) 6-3, 3-6, 7-5
4. Alisa Morozova (UTEP) def. Shelby Fillingame (TSU) 6-3, 6-3
5. Milena Baigorria (UTEP) def. No player (TSU), by forfeit
6. Yvette Van Oijen (UTEP) def. No player (TSU), by forfeit
 
Tarleton will head to Lawton, Oklahoma next weekend to meet a pair of regional rivals from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference on a neutral court. The TexAnns will play Metro State on March 2 and CSU-Pueblo on March 3.