Zias Defeat Western New Mexico, 9-0, Grand Canyon, 5-4, to Remain Undefeated

PORTALES, NM – The Eastern New Mexico University women’s tennis team remained undefeated in the 2003 season by beating Western New Mexico University and Grand Canyon University in their recent road stand. ENMU defeated Western, 9-0, in Silver City on Friday, Feb. 28 and defeated Grand Canyon University, 5-4, in Phoenix, AZ on Saturday, Mar 1. ENMU ended the weekend with a 3-0 overall record for the season.

Against WNMU, the Zias were flawless, winning all six singles matches and all three doubles matches. In the #1 doubles match, the Zia team of Lisa Weinman (Sr., Albuquerque, NM/West Mesa HS) and Bethanie Nix (Jr., Spring, TX/Newman Smith HS) had an easy victory over Monica Martinez and Sarah Billings, 8-0.

Eastern’s #2 doubles team of Rhiannon Torrez (Fr., Cedar Park, TX/Cedar Park HS) and Janelle Sanchez (So., Albuquerque, NM/Cibola HS) downed Brittany Nelson and Ashley Hunt, 8-2. The #3 doubles match was also claimed by ENMU, as Sarah Salazar (Sr.,Belen, NM/Saint Pius X HS) and Erica Kelly (Fr., Stockton, CA/Tokay HS) defeated Kara Callaway and Amy Goodnight, 8-1.

The Zias also took all six singles matches from Western. No Zia player lost more than one game in any of the singles matches. Weinman beat Monica Martinez, 6-1, 6-0. In #2 singles, Nix won her match defeating Ashley Hunt, 6-1, 6-0. Sanchez and Salazar were impressive in their matches, not losing a game 6-0, 6-0, in #4 and #5 singles, respectively.

In the win over Grand Canyon, the Zias were victorious in one of three matches in doubles competition. Weinman and Nix were defeated by Nikita Bhardwaj and Robyn Jaeger in a close match, 9-7, at #1 doubles, while Torrez and Sanchez routed Shawna Young and Karen Cervantez, 8-0, at #2 doubles. Salazar and Kelly lost #3 doubles 8-4 to Sarah Mitchell and Denia Combs.

Eastern almost swept the singles matches, winning four of six. The closest match occurred at #5 singles, where Salazar edged out Cervantez in a third set tie-breaker, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7-4). The only other match to go all three sets was Nix against Robyn Jaeger at #2 singles. Nix won the first set, but was defeated easily by Jaeger in the second and third sets, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2. Every other Zia victory lasted just two sets. Torrez, 6-2, 6-0, Sanchez, 6-4, 6-3, and Kelly, 6-2, 6-1, all disposed of their competition easily to give the Zias the victory.

The Zias return to action on Saturday, Mar. 29, when they will take on Midwestern State University and St. Mary’s University in Abilene, Texas. The MSU match is scheduled to start at 8 a.m. (MST), with the St. Mary’s match set to start at 1 p.m. (MST).

College Women’s Tennis
February 28, 2003 • Silver City, New Mexico

(#23) Eastern New Mexico University 9 (2-0 Overall)
Western New Mexico University 0

Singles
#1 - Lisa Weinman (ENMU) defeated Monical Martinez (WNMU), 6-1, 6-0
#2 - Bethanie Nix (ENMU) defeated Ashley Hunt (WNMU), 6-1, 6-0
#3 - Rhiannon Torrez (ENMU) defeated Sarah Billings (WNMU), 6-0, 6-1
#4 - Janelle Sanchez (ENMU) defeated Brittany Nelson (WNMU), 6-0, 6-0
#5 - Sarah Salazar (ENMU) defeated Aubrey Mortenson (WNMU), 6-0, 6-0
#6 - Erica Kelly (ENMU) defeated Amy Goodnight (WNMU), 6-0, 6-1

Doubles
#1 - Weinman and Nix (ENMU) defeated Martinez and Billings (WNMU), 8-0
#2 - Salazar and Torrez (ENMU) defeated Nelson and Hunt (WNMU), 8-2
#3 - Sanchez and Kelly (ENMU) defeated Kara Callaway and Goodnight (WNMU), 8-1

March 1, 2003 • Phoenix, Arizona

(#23) Eastern New Mexico University 5 (3-0 Overall)
Grand Canyon University 4

Singles
#1 - Nikita Bhardwaj (GCU) defeated Lisa Weinman (ENMU), 6-1, 6-0
#2 - Robyn Jaeger (GCU) defeated Bethanie Nix (ENMU), 4-6, 6-1, 6-2
#3 - Rhiannon Torrez (ENMU) defeated Sarah Mitchell (GCU), 6-2, 6-0
#4 - Janelle Sanchez (ENMU) defeated Shawna Young (GCU), 6-4, 6-3
#5 - Sarah Salazar (ENMU) defeated Karen Cervantez (GCU), 6-3, 4-6, 7-6, 7-4
#6 - Erica Kelly (ENMU) defeated Denia Combs (GCU), 6-2, 6-1

Doubles
#1 - Bhardwaj and Jager (GCU) defeated Weinman and Nix (ENMU), 9-7
#2 - Torrez and Sanchez (ENMU) defeated Young and Cervantez (GCU), 8-0
#3 - Mitchell and Combs (GCU) defeated Salazar and Kelly (ENMU), 8-4