EL PASO, Texas – After a nearly two week layoff, the Idaho women’s tennis team returned to action in top form Friday, picking up a 6-1 win over the University of Texas Pan American in El Paso, Texas.

The Vandals swept the doubles point with an 8-2 win by Vicky Lozano and Silvia Irimescu at the No. 1 position, an 8-3 win by Yvette Ly and Molly Knox at No. 2, and an 8-2 win by Alejandra Lozano and Basia Maciocha at No. 3.

“It was good to start off our road trip with a nice win,” Idaho coach Tyler Neill said. “I was happy with our doubles. I thought Vicky and Silvia played very well in doubles, especially considering it was their first match together as a team.”

The Vandals kept up their momentum in singles play, as Idaho took five of six singles matches.

Vicky Lozano paced Idaho with a 6-2, 6-3 win at No. 1, and Maciocha won a dramatic 7-5, 6-0 match at No. 3. In her match, Maciocha trailed 5-0 in the first set before winning the next 11 games to pick up the point for the Vandals.

“I was impressed that Basia was again able to come back from a big deficit to win her singles match,” Neill said. “Maybe she just needs to have her back against the wall before starts playing some of her best tennis.”

Knox won 6-3, 7-5 at No. 4, Alejandra Lozano won 6-3, 7-6 at No. 5 and Natalie Kirch won 6-0, 6-3 at No. 6 for the Vandals.

“Molly played really well today,” Neill said. “Her opponent was feisty but Molly just kept steady throughout the match and was able to grind it out.”

Idaho’s only loss was a 6-1, 6-3 defeat at the No. 2 singles spot, as Irimescu fell to UTPA’s Wanda Beguelin.

The Vandals improve to 5-3 on the season with the win. Idaho will face University of Texas El Paso on March 12, Alabama-Birmingham on March 13 and New Mexico State on March 14 before returning to Moscow.

University of Idaho vs. University of Texas Pan American

March 11, 2011 – El Paso, TX

Doubles
1.            V. Lozano/Irimescu (UI) def. Andersen/Raty (UTPA) – 8-2
2.            Ly/Knox (UI) def. Beguelin/Nazarova (UTPA) – 8-3
3.            A. Lozano/Maciocha (UI) def. Strkic/Garcia (UTPA) – 8-2

Singles
1.            Victoria Lozano (UI) def. Malin Andersen (UTPA) – 6-2,6-3
2.            Wanda Beguelin (UTPA) def. Silvia Irimescu (UI) – 6-1,6-3
3.            Barbara Maciocha (UI) def. Reetta Raty (UTPA) – 7-5,6-0
4.            Molly Knox (UI) def. Dana Nazarova (UTPA) – 6-3,7-5
5.            Alejandra Lozano (UI) def. Suncica Strkic (UTPA) – 6-3,7-6
6.            Natalie Kirch (UI) def. Blanca Garcia (UTPA) – 6-0,6-3

FINAL: UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO 6 – UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS PAN AMERICAN 1