BOX SCORE
SURPRISE, Ariz. – For the third time in its last five postseason matches, the No. 4 UWF women's tennis team fell behind 2-1 after doubles play. And for the third time, the Argonauts steamrolled through singles play to pick up four wins for a victory.
Wednesday's opponent in the 2018 NCAA Division II Women's Tennis Championship quarterfinal was No. 10 Central Oklahoma who rode a big wave of emotion in doubles play for an early 2-0 lead. UWF answered with a win at No. 3 doubles and then won the first set in all six singles matches before obtaining the necessary four points in straight sets for the 5-2 decision.
UWF (30-3) picked up its school-record 30th victory and advanced to the national semifinals for the sixth time in history. The Argos will face No. 2 Hawaii Pacific (21-2) – a 5-0 winner over Missouri-St. Louis Wednesday – on Thursday at 1:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time (3:00 p.m. CT).
From the first point in doubles, the Argos could sense the passion and desire from the Bronchos. UCO earned its team points moments apart from each other on courts one and two.
UWF secured a doubles points at No. 3 when junior
Jordana Lujan and senior
Samantha Echevarria won five of the first six games en route to an 8-4 win. The duo improved to 7-0 since being paired together late in the regular season.
With the singles matches taking center stage, it was all UWF. The Argos won five of the six first sets and didn't allow the Bronchos to regain any momentum. Echevarria rebounded from her loss the previous day and dominated Paola Landin, 6-3, 6-2 on court four to tie the match at 2-2.
The third point earned by the UWF squad came from the top spot as 26th-ranked seinor
Paula Coyos dropped only two games to 35th-ranked Alli Hodges, 6-1, 6-1. 65th-ranked freshman
Ines Nicault stretched the lead to 4-2 after dominating her fellow French countrywoman 17th-ranked Leatitia Charbonnet, 6-3, 6-3 at No. 2.
The Argos clinched the match at No. 6 when junior
Heather Mixon won her final four games in a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Alix Williams.
Thursday's contest with HPU will be a rematch of one played in Pensacola four weeks prior with the Sharks claiming a 7-2 win.
UCO (20-4) also set a school record for victories while the Bronchos advanced to the national quarterfinals for the first time in its history.
