BROWNSVILLE, Texas - No. 1 NM State defeated No. 4 Seattle U in the second semifinal match of the WAC Tennis Tournament Saturday at the Brownsville Tennis Center. With the win, the Aggies advance to the championship match on Sunday, where they will face UT Rio Grande Valley.
The Redhawks came out firing in doubles action with a 6-2 win over NM State's No. 1 doubles pair. However, the Aggies' No. 2 doubles pair of Ashvarya Shrivastav - the reigning WAC Player of the Year - and Rimpledeep Kaur powered through SU's Madison Maloney and Barbara Carey for the 6-2 win.
With the doubles point hanging in the balance, the No. 3 tandem of Chloe Jolliff and Lindsay Harlas finished off Kristen James and Kailyn Skjonsby, 6-3, and gave the Aggies a 1-0 lead heading into singles action.
Not too long after the start of singles play, rain forced a three hour and 50 minute delay. Kaur put the Aggies on top 2-0 when she ousted SU's Kellie Woodman 6-1, 6-2 at the No. 2 singles position.
Leading before the rain delay, Harlas defeated Sari Kwee 6-0, 6-2 at the No. 5 slot once play resumed. With match point within sight, Jolliff finished things off for NM State with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over the Redhawks' Madison Maloney at No. 3 singles.
The last time NM State and UTRGV squared off in WAC play, the Aggies came out on top 4-3.