Box Score LAS CRUCES, N.M. — The Sam Houston tennis team opened a two-match road trip with a 6-1 setback at New Mexico State on Friday afternoon.
 
The Bearkats (4-9 overall, 1-3 WAC) won the doubles point to begin the match.
 
After losing at No. 2, McKenzy Byfield and Anastasia Khokhlova tied the doubles competition with a 7-5 victory over Valeriia Ivanovskaia and Dora Kurdi at No. 3. Paula Cerda and Sahithi Vutukuru clinched the point at No. 1 with a 7-9 win over Anna Pinaieva and Lisa Zhu.
 
Vutukuru came close to earning Sam Houston a point at No. 3 singles. She fell in a close match to Ivanovskaia 6-2, 6-7, 10-7.
 
The Bearkats play at Grand Canyon on Sunday at 1 p.m.