The 32nd-ranked UNM women's tennis team continued its impressive roll this spring with a 7-0 sweep of the Houston Cougars on Sunday.
The Lobos got off to a quick start with three wins to earn the doubles point.
At the No. 1 doubles spot, sophomore Maja Kovacek and senior Sandy Lukowski played patient, smart tennis to down Biljana Dimovska and Miranda Foley 8-5. Neither team gave any ground until UNM earned a break in the 12th game for a 7-5 advantage.
The Lobos held serve in the next game to hang on for the win. Kovacek and Lukowski are ranked 16th in the nation in the latest doubles poll.
Senior Maria Ruiz-Fabrega and freshman Iva Gersic paired up at the No. 2 slot to blank the Cougars' Karine Urbin and Diana Martin 8-0.
"We were fired up," Ruiz-Fabrega said. "We went out there and were up 4-0 in what seemed like a matter of seconds, and we just kept rolling. We just served well, and were moving really well at the net."
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Juniors Michelle Heidbrink and Tiffany Robertson held the doubles domination intact with an easy 8-3 win at No. 3.
By the time No. 1 singles player Maja Kovacek finished her match, UNM had already clinched the singles win.
Gersic controlled play from the baseline in her 6-4, 6-4 drubbing of Foley at No. 2 singles.
Robertson overcame a shaky first set to outlast Yolandi Terblanche 7-6, 6-1. Robertson survived a break at 4-3 in the first to break back in the next game and hold serve for the tiebreaker, which she handily won 7-2. In the second set, she found her groove and didn't give Terblanche a chance for the upset.
"(Terblanche) played really well," Robertson said. "She was really consistent. In the second set, I came out and was a lot more aggressive, and it showed in the score."
At No. 4 singles, Lukowski put on the most impressive showing of the evening with a quick 6-2, 6-0 win over Martin.
Heidbrink was equally dominant at the No. 5 position with a 6-2, 6-2 pasting of Kami Miller.
Senior Tjasa Suvak, playing in an unfamiliar sixth position, wasted no time in defeating Houston's Urbin 6-0, 6-2.
"I've been playing really well the last couple of matches," Suvak said. "Since I'm playing at No. 6, I kind of expected to win. I'd much rather have the better competition at the higher spots."
Kovacek was the last Lobo off the courts with a gutsy 6-4, 6-7, 11-9 win over Dimovska. Her arsenal of powerful groundstrokes, crisp volleys and heavy serves was well matched by the Cougar, but Kovacek proved too strong in the end.
On Saturday, UNM swept No. 70 Wisconsin at the UNM Tennis Club. The Lobos are 6-2 this spring and brimming with confidence.
UNM is at home next weekend for two more matches against ranked competition. The Lobos play No. 57 Boise State at 4 p.m. Friday and No. 49 Colorado at noon Sunday.
