ARLINGTON, Texas – The No. 3 UT Arlington women's tennis team (9-9) punched their ticket to the Western Athletic Conference Tournament championship after an intense 4-2 battle against No. 2 Tarleton State on Friday at the Arlington Tennis Center.
 
UTA moves on to the championship match where they will take on the No. 1 seed Grand Canyon Lopes. Due to the impending weather, the championship match will be moved indoors to the Styslinger/Altec Tennis Complex on the campus of SMU in Dallas. The address is 5669 N. Central Expressway. First serve is slated for a 10 a.m. CT and will be livestreamed on WAC International TV.
 
In doubles action, the Texans picked up an early lead behind wins on Courts 2 and 3.
 
The duo of Valeriia Ivanovskaia and Mialy Ranaivo took care of business on Court 1, finishing first after defeating Noelia Lorca and Ximena Morales 6-4 for the Mavericks lone win in doubles action. Ioana Dumitrescu and Ana Paula Jimenez fell 6-4 on Court 2 while Maria Lucia Araoz-Gosn and Nika Novikova fell in the tie breaker 7-6 (5).
 
The Mavs turned it up in singles play, surrendering only one point while picking up the much needed four points for the victory.
 
Ana Paula Jimenez got the Mavs on the board after a quick 6-0, 6-3 victory over Emma Persson on Court 1.
 
The Texans would regain the lead behind a 6-1, 6-0 victory by Maria Castano over Nika Novikova on Court 6. UTA managed to tie things back up a two apiece thanks to a 6-1, 6-3 victory by Maria Lucia Araoz-Gosn over Clara Sobius on Court 6.
 
Valeriia Ivanovskaia would give the Mavs the 3-2 advantage after she defeated Noelia Lorca 6-3, 6-3 on Court 2.
 
For the second day in a row, Ioana Dumitrescu clinched the match for the Mavs on Court 4. Dumitrescu was in a three-set battle with Ximena Morales where Dumitrescu won 6-1, 3-6, 6-2. Morales sailed a shot that sent the Mavs into a frenzy where they rushed Dumitrescu in a big group hug to celebrate the clinch.
 
UTA 4, TSU 2
Singles
 
1. Ana Paula Jimenez (UTA) def. Emma Persson (TSU) 6-0, 6-3
2. Valeriia Ivanovskaia (UTA) def. Noelia Lorca (TSU) 6-3, 6-3
3. Mialy Ranaivo (UTA) vs. Duru Kuscu (TSU) 6-3, unfinished
4. Ioana Dumitrescu (UTA) def. Ximena Morales (TSU) 6-1, 3-6, 6-2
5. Maria Castano (TSU) def. Nika Novikova (UTA) 6-1, 6-0
6. Maria Lucia Araoz-Gosn (UTA) def. Clara Sobius (TSU) 6-1, 6-3
 
Order of Finish: 1, 5, 6, 2, 4

Doubles 

1. Valeriia Ivanovskaia / Mialy Ranaivo (UTA) def. Noelia Lorca / Ximena Morales (TSU) 6-4
2. Maretha Burger / Emma Persson (TSU) def. Ioana Dumitrescu / Ana Paula Jimenez (UTA) 6-4
3. Maria Castano / Clara Sobius (TSU) def. Maria Lucia Araoz-Gosn / Nika Novikova (UTA) 7-6 (5)
 
Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3
   
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