Brown Wins Three-Set Match as Aztecs Women's Tennis Fall vs. New Mexico Military Institute

The Pima Community College women's tennis team (10-5) dropped its final home match of the regular season on Friday at the Tucson Racquet Club.

The No. 22 ranked Aztecs couldn't overtake No. 10 New Mexico Military Institute (7-9) in singles play as they fell 6-3.

Freshman Kelsey Brown (Ironwood Ridge HS) rallied in her No. 1 singles match to force a third set tiebreaker after winning the second set. She held on in the end to beat Thea Minor 4-6, 6-4, 10-8.

Freshman Fernanda Miller (Nogales HS) earned the other win for the Aztecs in singles competition as she shut out Jewel Ellis at No. 6 singles 6-0, 6-0. Miller and No. 3 doubles partner Stephanie Nickles (Ironwood Ridge HS) defeated Amanda Hawkins and Ellis 8-3. Nickles dropped the final two points of the second set as she fell to Lorish Puluspene 6-3, 6-3 at No. 4 singles.

In the No. 2 doubles match, sophomores Noelle Karp (Catalina Foothills HS) and Ema Hernandez (Sunnyside HS) led 3-2 against Francisca Nyarko and Puluspene but fell 8-3. Karp fell to Nyarko 6-2, 6-4 at No. 3 singles while Hernandez dropped her match at No. 5 singles to Hawkins 6-4, 6-1.

Brown and No. 1 doubles partner Samantha Ruth (Catalina Foothills HS) rallied to force a tiebreaker but fell in the end 9-8 (7-5) to Minor and Lorraine Banimataku. Ruth lost her No.2 singles match to Banimataku 6-1, 6-1.

The Aztecs will get back to ACCAC conference play to close out the regular season on Tuesday. They'll play at Paradise Valley Community College at 1:30 p.m.

Kelsey Brown/Photo by Ben Carbajal