MONROE, La. – The Warhawk tennis team got on the board early and surged forward with a trio of singles victories to claim a 4-3 victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at Raymond Heard Stadium on the campus of ULM Wednesday afternoon.
After ULM (3-1) won the doubles point, the Islanders knotted the score at 1-1 with a victory at number one singles. Three straight wins by the Warhawks clinched the team victory, the team’s second in a row.
“This was a very intense and close match,” ULM head coach Terrence De Jongh said. “We knew coming in that we would have to be at our best and really fight for everything. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi is a good team and I’m proud of the way that we were able to pull it out.”
ULM improves to 2-0 at Heard Stadium on the season.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (2-3) finished its two-day Louisiana road trip with a split after defeating Louisiana-Lafayette Tuesday night by a 4-3 score.
The Warhawks opened play with a tough sweep of doubles play. Junior Lena Satge and sophomore Ana Burjaili cruised to an 8-3 win at the top spot. Senior Sharon Makhanya and freshman Monica Winkel pulled away for an 8-6 win at number two singles to clinch the early ULM advantage.
Trailing 7-4, senior Marion Lehmann and sophomore Claire Clark fought back to claim a 9-8 (4) tie-breaker victory in the third doubles set.
The Islanders would even the match after one singles bout when Mirna Cicak defeated Burjaili at number one singles, 6-0, 6-1.
Satge put the Warhawks back on top with a 6-3, 6-3 straight-set win at number two singles. Lehmann at number six and Clark at number four finished in straight sets within minutes of each other to give ULM the win.
TAMCC would make the match interesting by picking up close wins in the two remaining bouts for the final score.
ULM returns to the road for a trio of matches over the weekend starting with a Saturday contest against Montana State in Huntsville, Texas.
Doubles (1,2,3)
1. Burjaili/Satge (ULM) def. Cicak/Filmalter (CC) 8-3
2. Makhanya/Winkel (ULM) def. Ciric/Harless (CC) 8-6
3. Clark/Lehmann (ULM) def. Dyckman/Iriarte (CC) 9-8 (7-4)
Singles (1,2,6,4*,3,5)
1. Mirna Cicak (CC) def. Ana Burjaili (ULM) 6-0, 6-1
2. Lena Satge (ULM) def. Nadia Filmalter (CC) 6-3, 6-3
3. Nina Ciric (CC) def. Monica Winkel (ULM) 6-0, 3-6, 6-1
4. Claire Clark (ULM) def. Erika Iriate (CC) 6-2, 6-4
5. Alexandra Dyckman (CC) def. Sharon Makhanya (ULM) 6-4, 7-6 (7-4)
6. Marion Lehmann (ULM) def. Fabiana Mersan (CC) 6-2, 6-4
