Who | Utah Tech (0-7, 0-0 WAC) vs. New Mexico State (7-4, 0-0 CUSA)
When | Thursday, Feb. 20 - 2 p.m.
Where | Trailblazer Tennis Courts - St. George
Social Media | Instagram +
Twitter (X)
Live Streams | Available on the Utah Tech women's tennis schedule
page.
A GLANCE AT NEW MEXICO STATE
The Aggies come to town after dropping a rivalry match to New Mexico 4-2 at home on Saturday. The loss snapped a four-game winning streak where NMSU swept Seward County Community College (7-0), Western New Mexico (7-0), Weber State (7-0) and Lamar (4-0). New Mexico State has also earned wins over Lubbock Christian (4-3), Collin County Community College (7-0) and Abilene Christian (4-0) this season. The Aggies are fourth in Conference USA by win percentage entering the match.
Freshman Montana Parkinson-Lubold leads the Aggies with eight singles wins this season, standing at 3-0 in the number five spot and 5-2 in the number six spot. Junior Anna Pinaieva and sophomore Whitney Moon both enter Thursday's match on a four-match win streak in singles play. In doubles action, Pinaieva and freshman Nadia Nemeth are on a five-match win streak, leading New Mexico State with a 7-3 record in first doubles action. Last week, Pinaieva was named CUSA Athlete of the Week after a perfect 3-0 week at the number one singles spot.
NMSU holds a 3-0 advantage all-time over Utah Tech. In the most recent matchup, the Aggies defeated the Trailblazers 7-0 in 2023 in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The two sides have never met in St. George.
Following Thursday's contest, the Aggies will head to Las Vegas, Nevada, to challenge UNLV on Saturday.
LAST TIME OUT
Utah Tech battled hard but fell short in a three-match weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada. On Friday, the Trailblazers challenged Idaho State, winning two singles points and a doubles match before dropping the contest 5-2. Sophomore
Ana Gutierrez Sampere and senior
Laura Coulome won their singles bouts after sophomore
Mariana Zurita and junior
Nicole Kells earned a come-from-behind victory in the third doubles match. Against UNLV, UT was tripped up 7-0 on Saturday. Sophomore
Olivia Bustos forced a tiebreaker in her singles match but was defeated 11-9. Kansas City dispatched the Trailblazers on Sunday, earning a 5-2 win. Coulome won her second singles match of the weekend and junior
Raquel Roshak won her singles contest. In the third doubles match, Zurita and Kells also picked up their second win of the weekend.
MEET THE TRAILBLAZERS
The 2024-25 roster consists of eight student-athletes with one senior, two juniors, three sophomores and two freshmen. Five Trailblazers are international students and three hail from the United States. Coulome (Eastern Arizona) and
Nicole Kells (Alcorn State) both started their collegiate careers at other schools.
Head coach
Eric Pelton is in his 19th season at the helm of Utah Tech women's tennis. Pelton has totaled 104 wins at UT and winning seasons in 2014 (12-9), 2017 (9-8), 2019 (13-4) and 2020 (6-3).
2024 IN REVIEW
The Trailblazers wrapped up their fourth and final season of transition to Division I in 2024 with a 6-16 (0-7 WAC) record, defeating UT Dallas, Colorado Mesa, Ottawa University (Ariz.), Arizona Christian along with a pair of wins over Mesa Community College.
UP NEXT
Utah Tech finishes its homestand at Trailblazer Tennis Courts by taking on Colorado Mesa on Friday, March 7 at 11 a.m.
