SURPRISE, Ariz. – The fourth-ranked UWF women's tennis team defeated 29th-ranked North Georgia, 5-1, in the 2018 NCAA Division II Women's Tennis Championship Round of 16 at the Surprise Racquet and Tennis Complex Tuesday evening.
 
With the win, UWF (29-3) advances to the national quarterfinals where it will meet 10th-ranked Central Oklahoma (20-3) on Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time (6:00 p.m. CT).
 
The Argonauts are making their 12th appearance at the national finals site and improved to 11-1 in round of 16 contests. UWF also tied the program record for wins in a season, matching the 29 set by the Ralph "Skeeter" Carson-led 1985 squad.
 
On Tuesday, UWF came out and swept the double matches for the 15th in 32 matches this year.
 
At No. 3 Jordana Lujan and Samantha Echevarria claimed an 8-2 win for the first point before Ines Nicault and Valeria Mantilla pulled out an 8-6 win at the top spot for a 2-0 lead. The Lujan-Echevarria tandem is 6-0 since being paired together for the first time in the last regular-season match and all five postseason contests.
 
Paula Coyos and Diana Vlad were able to break their UNG opponents in the 13th game to turn the momentum in their favor before emerging with a 8-6 victory.
 
In singles play, the Argos went up a set in five of the six matches. Heather Mixon earned the fourth team point with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Laura Van Der Hage at No. 6. The win was her 11th-consecutive and allowed her to improve to 28-1 in the Spring.
 
The Nighthawks earned their only point at the No. 4 position where Cibeles Zuddy defeated Echevarria, 7-5, 6-2.
 
Minutes later though, the Argos got the clinching point. Nicault at No. 2 and Lujan at No. 3 were each serving for match point at the same time. It was Lujan who got the winner first, claiming a 6-3, 6-4 win to improve to 20-3 in duals and 13-3 at the third position.
 
UNG (16-8) was making its first-ever appearance in the round of 16.
 
The Argonauts and Bronchos will be playing for the first time since March 18, 2014.