SAN ANTONIO — Endurance and poise defined the afternoon for the Roadrunners as UTSA women’s tennis downed the University of the Incarnate Word 4-1, the Roadrunners third victory in a row and fourth on the season, on Sunday at the UTSA Tennis Center.
UTSA (4-1) established control by securing the doubles point before singles play turned into a series of endurance battles against Incarnate Word (1-3). Freshman Laia Tarazona Peyro delivered the afternoon’s most decisive performance with a straight-sets victory that extended the early lead, while junior Akari Tomoyose added another point with a composed and steady win. The match ultimately swung on court two, where freshman Celine Absawi clinched the dual in a rally-heavy contest that tested both stamina and precision.
“We’re pretty resilient and I’m just so proud of them,” head coach Ki Kroll said. “We just keep fighting and keep working and they’re learning a lot too in the process.”
The Roadrunners built their foundation in doubles, where sophomore Natalia Castaneda Guerrero and freshman Giuliana Giardina paired for a 6-3 win to set the tone. Sophomore Aoka Nagasawa and Tomoyose followed with a commanding 6-1 victory that put Incarnate Word on the defensive. Though the Cardinals salvaged the final doubles court, UTSA carried momentum into singles with clear energy across the lineup.
Peyro wasted little time widening the gap. Peyro’s straight-sets sweep on court five was the cleanest performance of the day and gave the Roadrunners breathing room as other courts stretched into long exchanges. Tomoyose reinforced that advantage on court three with a steady 6-4, 6-2 result that highlighted UTSA’s depth and patience.
The afternoon’s defining moment came from Absawi. Locked in a grinding battle with Cardinals senior Iné Lamprecht, Absawi matched power with control through extended rallies. Each exchange drew louder reactions from teammates and spectators until a final netted return sealed the clinch. Her victory capped a performance that reflected the growing maturity of a young UTSA roster willing to outlast opponents point by point.
“Celine has a lot of heart, and the one thing you always get is 100% from her,” Kroll said. “She’s learning through the whole process and continues to keep getting better. So this was just another example of her playing a very good girl, and as a freshman, that means a lot when they step up like that.”
Incarnate Word’s lone singles point arrived on court one where senior Estefania Gonzalez defeated Guerrero in straight sets. Two remaining matches were left unfinished once the dual was decided, but the competitive tone across those courts illustrated how tightly contested the afternoon remained even as UTSA secured the result.
“We try to keep our balls deeper so we can’t be attacked as much, neutralizing that opponent,” Kroll said. “Natalia did a great job against her [Estefania Gonzalez] and unfortunately, it wasn’t her first match of the day. But she’s doing a great job and moving in the right direction.”
UTSA will next face Houston University at 1 p.m. Friday at the Barbara Wallace Winston Tennis Facility.
