Jayhawks Drop Opener at New Mexico, 4-3

New Mexico 4, Kansas 3
Linda Estes Tennis Center
Jan. 23, 2015
Doubles
No. 1 – Maria Jose Cardona/Maria Belen Ludueña (Kansas) def. Dominique Dulski/Natasha Smith (New Mexico) 6-1
No. 2 – Madison Harrison/Smith Hinton (Kansas) def. Meredith Hopson/Emily Olivier (New Mexico) 7-4
No. 3 – Sharon Coone/Rachana Bhat (New Mexico) def. Summer Collins/Rachel McNeely (Kansas) 7-5
Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2
Singles
No. 1 – Maria Jose Cardona (Kansas) def. #75 Emily Olivier (New Mexico) 5-7, 6-1, 6-2
No. 2 – Natasha Smith (New Mexico) def. Maria Belen Ludueña (Kansas) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
No. 3 – Meredith Hopson (New Mexico) def. Smith Hinton (Kansas) 6-3, 6-4
No. 4 –  Dominique Dulski (New Mexico) def. Madison Harrison 6-2, 6-3
No. 5 – Rachana Bhat (New Mexico) def. Summer Collins (Kansas) 6-1, 6-2
No. 6 – Rachel McNeely (Kansas) def. Sharon Coone (New Mexico) 6-3, 5-7, 6-2
Order of Finish: 5, 4, 3,1

Albuquerque, N.M. – New Mexico defeated Kansas women’s tennis, 4-3, in a tight match Friday evening at the Linda Estes Tennis Center.

“Tonight was disappointing loss and definitely not the way we envisioned starting the season,” said head coach Todd Chapman.
 
They Jayhawks entered Friday’s matchup with four freshman in the lineup, but were ready to face a veteran New Mexico team to open dual match play. 
 
Kansas opened the day by taking the doubles point as veteran duo consisting of senior Maria Belen Ludueña and junior Maria Jose Cardona were the first off the court when they defeated Dominique Dolski and Natasha Smith, 6-1. Kansas claimed the doubles point as freshmen Madison Harrison and Smith Hinton defeated Meredith Hopson and Emily Olivier of UNM, 7-4.
 
In singles play Rachel McNeely defeated New Mexico’s Sharon “Coone, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2. Additionally, Cardona lost the first set against #75 Olivier, but came back and won the second and third set to win the match, 7-5, 6-1, 6-2 
 
The closest, and ultimately the deciding match of the night, was Ludueña versus Smith. After a split set between Ludueña and Smith they continued into the third set and Smith won 6-4, 4-6, 7-5.
 
“We need to grow up quickly and have a short-term memory because we play a very good South Carolina team tomorrow,” said Chapman. “We have a long season ahead of us and we can learn a lot of lesson from tonight if we choose to do so.”
 
KU will look to get in the win column tomorrow when it takes on 23rd-ranked South Carolina in a match scheduled for 3 p.m. (CT).
 
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