It was a weekend full of mixed blessings for Idaho women’s tennis, who earned its first win with a sweep against Idaho State only to be swept by Boise State the next morning in the “The Battle of Idaho.” Idaho’s No. 1 doubles team of Victoria Lozano and Almudena Sanz had an inconsistent weekend, dominating in No. 1 doubles with an 8-3 victory against ISU but losing 8-5 against BSU the next morning.
Last weekend, accounting for both of the only singles victories in a three-match weekend at Oregon, Sanz and Lozano won two of the singles matches in the blowout against ISU but could not do any damage against BSU.
Sanz, ranked No. 13 in the region, had a tough matchup at the No. 2 singles spot against BSU star Sandy Vo. Vo is ranked No. 98 in the nation and sixth in ITA’s Mountain Region. Sanz lost 6-1, 6-3.
There were no singles wins on the board against BSU — in the similar flawed fashion of last weekend against Oregon, where the only victory was a doubles match. At No. 3 doubles, Idaho’s Beatriz Flores and Alejandra Lozano were able to humble BSU a little bit with an 8-5 win. This came as a shock for BSU, whose first loss in doubles this season tainted their 4-0 record. Idaho’s No. 3 doubles team was undefeated this weekend, as Lozano and Flores pulled out a 7-3 victory the day before against ISU.
On a positive note, Flores caught fire this weekend with her first singles victory of the season against ISU. She was 21-11 in singles overall last season. Lozano earned her first singles win of the season against ISU as well.
After a win at the No. 2 doubles spot with partner Belen Barcenilla, senior Constance Alexander has quietly claimed the most doubles wins on the team this season with four. Barcenilla takes second place with three. Both players were undefeated this season in doubles until the Boise State match.
With several players in the background earning their first wins in the singles and doubles spots, Idaho had a decent weekend which saw it attain its first win.
“It was a nice match to get a win on the board,” Idaho coach Myriam Sopel said. “I am pleased with the intensity from the first to the last point and a boost of confidence for our team.”
At 1-5, it is still not too late for the Vandals to put personal achievements aside and focus on a winning record with 18 matches left to play. Last year the Vandals finished with an 18-7 record, eight of those wins coming at home. The Vandals will not play at home until Mar. 6 against Eastern Washington.
On Friday the Vandals face Nevada in Pullman, less than 10 miles away from their home turf. The Wolf Pack is coming off a 5-2 loss in its first dual match against Brigham Young.
Aaron Wolfe can be reached at [email protected]