Pothier’s third-set comeback gives women’s tennis a road sweep of NMSU and UTEP

Women's Tennis | 2/20/2016 10:10:00 PM

ABILENE, Texas – For the second time in three seasons Saturday Abilene Christian women's tennis recorded a sweep of New Mexico State and UTEP on the road, and the Wildcats did it thanks to an incredible comeback victory at No. 4 singles, where sophomore Lucile Pothier rallied from a 5-2 deficit in the third set to beat the Miners' Daphen Visscher, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.
 
"It was quite the dramatic finish," said head coach Hutton Jones. "The match came down to Lucile and she's down 5-2 in the third set, but comes back to win 7-5. It was impressive on her part. She stayed the course, remained aggressive and emotionally looked the part – like she knew she was going to win even when down 5-2."
 
The win over UTEP lifted ACU's season record to 8-4 and wouldn't have come down to Pothier's match if not for some other key victories along the way, starting at No. 3 doubles where senior Nada Marjanovic and sophomore Andrea Crook edged the team of Matilda Tench and Raven Bennett, 7-6 (8).
 
Marjanovic was first off the singles court as well, improving to 11-2 overall following her 6-2, 6-2 decision over Duda Santos. That win put the Wildcats ahead 2-0, but UTEP would rally to tie the team score at 2-2 with consecutive straight-set, 6-2, 7-5 victories at Nos. 5 and 6.
 
ACU regained lead once more after senior Kaysie Hermsdorf bounced back from her morning loss at New Mexico State to hold off Lois Wagenvoort at No. 2 6-4, 6-4, but the advantage was short lived as UTEP's No. 1 Vivienne Kulicke rallied from a set down to beat junior Erin Walker, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
 
Pothier and Marjanovic were the only Wildcats today to win both their singles matches as everyone else in the lineup either went 1-1 or 0-2. Pothier is 7-3 over her last 10 matches and 8-6 overall with half of those wins coming at No. 3.
 
In ACU's morning match against New Mexico State, the Wildcats swept all three doubles contests by the same 6-4 score and captured four of the six singles matches.
 
Walker won her match at No. 1 over Ashvarya Shrivastav, 6-4, 6-4, for the match-clinching point and Pothier, Marjanovic and sophomore Whitney Williams all won in straight sets between the Nos. 3-5 positions.
 
The Wildcats are off from competition until Friday, March 4 when they'll play host to a doubleheader against Temple University and McMurry starting at 12 p.m.
 

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Abilene Christian 5, NMSU 2
Feb 20, 2016 at Las Cruces, N.M. (NMSU Tennis Center)
 
Singles competition
1. Erin Walker (ACU) def. Ashvarya Shrivastav (NMSU) 6-4, 6-4
2. Rimpledeep Kaur (NMSU) def. Kaysie Hermsdorf (ACU) 6-2, 6-1
3. Lucile Pothier (ACU) def. Erika Castillo Lopez (NMSU) 6-1, 6-1
4. Nada Marjanovic (ACU) def. Chloe Jolliff (NMSU) 6-2, 6-1
5. Whitney Williams (ACU) def. Mia Brandt (NMSU) 7-5, 7-5
6. Lindsay Harlas (NMSU) def. Jordan Henry (ACU) 0-6, 6-2, 6-3
 
Doubles competition
1. Erin Walker/Whitney Williams (ACU) def. Rimpledeep Kaur/Ashvarya Shrivastav (NMSU) 6-4
2. Lucile Pothier/Kaysie Hermsdorf (ACU) def. Erika Castillo Lopez/Gabrielle Joyce (NMSU) 6-4
3. Nada Marjanovic/Andrea Crook (ACU) def. Lindsay Harlas/Chloe Jolliff (NMSU) 6-4
 
Match Notes
Abilene Christian 7-4
New Mexico State 2-4
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (2,3,4,1,5,6)
 

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Abilene Christian 4, UTEP 3
Feb 20, 2016 at El Paso, Texas (Coronado Country Club)
 
Singles competition
1. Vivienne Kulicke (UTEP) def. Erin Walker (ACU) 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
2. Kaysie Hermsdorf (ACU) def. Lois Wagenvoort (UTEP) 6-4, 6-4
3. Nada Marjanovic (ACU) def. Duda Santos (UTEP) 6-2, 6-2
4. Lucile Pothier (ACU) def. Daphne Visscher (UTEP) 6-4, 3-6, 7-5
5. Matilda Tench (UTEP) def. Jordan Henry (ACU) 6-2, 7-5
6. Raven Bennett (UTEP) def. Whitney Williams (ACU) 6-2, 7-5
 
Doubles competition
1. Duda Santos/Vivienne Kulicke (UTEP) def. Erin Walker/Whitney Williams (ACU) 6-2
2. Lucile Pothier/Kaysie Hermsdorf (ACU) def. Lois Wagenvoort/Daphne Visscher (UTEP) 6-3
3. Nada Marjanovic/Andrea Crook (ACU) def. Matilda Tench/Raven Bennett (UTEP) 7-6
 
Match Notes
Abilene Christian 8-4
UTEP 3-5
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2,3); Singles (3,5,6,2,1,4)