STEPHENVILLE, Texas – The Texans have dominated Western Athletic Conference teams since joining the league, and that continued again to start their 2022-23 conference campaign.
Tarleton (9-4, 1-0 WAC) shut down the UTRGV Vaqueros (5-6, 0-1 WAC) on Friday afternoon 6-1 in Stephenville, taking their 10th straight win in a conference match since joining the WAC in 2020-21. They're 11-1 total in WAC matches since becoming an NCAA Division I program. The Texans also improved to 5-1 at home this year and have won five of their last six matches overall.
The Texans are 3-0 against the Vaqueros since last season, outscoring them on the team scoreboard 21-1.
The doubles point was a grind though to start Friday's match, a nearly 75-minute marathon that typically takes about half that time. All three doubles matches were 6-4 or tighter, including a tiebreak win to end it on Court 3. In the top flight, Tarleton's
Martha Makantasi and
Clara Sobius defeated Barbara Martinez and Lea Karren 6-4. The duo is now 2-1 as a pair, and each is 6-4 in doubles on the season. On Court 2, UTRGV got one back as Marjorie Souza and Isabelle Bahr took down
Elsa Boisson and
Emma Persson 6-4.
On Court 3, Tarleton's
Elif Albayrak and
Ximena Morales led 5-1 before UTRGV's Yaiza Vazquez and Daniela Rosenberger stormed back to take a 6-5 lead. The Texans kept their composure and tied it 6-6 to go to the tiebreaker. The tiebreaker was back-and-forth and was even at 6-6, before Tarleton took two straight points to win the match and the doubles point. Albayrak and Morales are 2-0 as a pair. Morales improved to 6-2 in doubles matches this year, and Albayrak is now 2-2.
In singles, five of the six matches finished in straight sets, with Tarleton winning four of those and their fifth in three sets. Makantasi got it started with a 6-4 6-3 win over Karren on Court 2 to improve to 5-6 this season. Sobius then had an impressive comeback after losing the first set 2-6, allowing her opponent Stefanie Wilske to win just one game in the last two sets, winning 2-6 6-1 6-0 overall. Sobius has now won seven straight singles matches, the longest active winning streak on the team, and is 9-4 overall.
Persson then clinched the team victory once again, the fifth time in Tarleton's nine wins the freshman won Tarleton's fourth team point. She won 6-3 6-4 over Bahr in the No. 1 position to improve to 10-2 on the year, the best mark on the team.
Albayrak then won on Court 5 6-3 6-2 over Vazquez to improve to 2-1 this year. Morales dropped Tarleton's lone point on Court 5 with Martinez winning 7-6 7-5. Boisson capped off the 6-1 team win on Court 3 with a 7-6(6) 7-5 win over Souza. Boisson is now 8-3 this year.
The Texans will wrap up their six-match homestand against new WAC foe UT Arlington on Sunday at 1 p.m. CT. It's Dog Day at the match in Stephenville. Fans are encouraged to bring their canine companions, who will receive free tennis balls and doggie treats. Donation stations to benefit local humane societies will also be available.
