SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Wisconsin women's tennis team was bested by New Mexico on the road Saturday morning, 5-2. This match was a bittersweet defeat as UW's first-year head coach Kelcy McKenna faced her former team for the first time.

Wisconsin came out strong, clinching the doubles point to start with a 1-0 lead going into singles play. This marks the fifth time in the last seven matches where the Badgers have secured the doubles point victory.

Senior Maria Avgerinos and freshman partner Melissa Pick worked together to take down NMU's Emily Olivier and Dominique Dulski, 6-4. Meanwhile, sophomore Kendall Kirsch and senior Sydney Rider knocked down Andrea Leblanc and Rachana Bhat, also by a score of 6-4.  

Despite their success on the doubles court, UW could not keep up the momentum in singles action.

"Today was definitely not the performance we had hoped for," McKenna said. "Overall, we have to work on maintaining significantly better energy from start to finish. Tomorrow is a great opportunity for us to work on competing during every single point."

Wisconsin's only point on the singles court came from No. 4 singles where freshman Michelle Linden dropped the first set, 1-6, but fought back to take the second set, 6-2, against Dominique Dulski. Linden then went on to win the third set, 6-4.

The Badgers continue competition in Salt Lake City on Sunday against host, Utah. First serve is set to begin at 11 a.m. (CT).   

Results

New Mexico 5 – Wisconsin 2

Singles

1. Ludivine Burguiere (UNM) def. Maria Avgerinos (WIS), 7-5, 6-0
2. Andrea Leblanc (UNM) def. Kelsey Grambeau (WIS), 6-4, 6-4
3. Ruth Copas (UNM) def. Kendall Kirsch (WIS), 6-2, 6-4
4. Michelle Linden (WIS) def. Dominique Dulski (UNM), 1-6, 6-2, 6-4
5. Cassie Chung (UNM) def. Christina Zordani (WIS), 6-4, 6-4
6. Rachana Bhat (UNM) def. Melissa Pick (WIS), 6-3, 6-2

Doubles

1. Pick/Avgerinos (WIS) def. Olivier/Dulski (UNM), 6-4
2. Grambeau/Zordani (WIS) vs. Burguiere/Copas (UNM), unfinished
3. Kirsch/Rider (WIS) def. Leblanc/Bhat (UNM), 6-4