Sofia Fortuno once again proved to be the decisive factor for Texas State, securing the match-winning point for the second consecutive day.

Her straight-set victory over Reagan Harris of Florida A&M clinched a dominant 4-0 win for the Bobcats at the USF Varsity Tennis Complex on Saturday in Tampa, Florida.

This win marked the team’s second consecutive victory on their Florida road trip, following a hard-fought 4-3 win against the University of South Florida the previous day.

The Rattlers, on the other hand, entered the contest still seeking their first victory of the season.

Doubles Play:
Texas State held a significant advantage in doubles play, needing just one win to secure the point. On court two, the duo of Ireland Simme and Chantajah Mills delivered a commanding performance, dispatching Susan Salinas and Larissa Silva with a decisive 6-1 victory and granting the Bobcats an early lead.

Singles Play:
The Bobcats swiftly extended their advantage as Ireland Simme secured a win via forfeit on court six, pushing Texas State’s lead to 2-0. Emily Niers followed with an authoritative performance on court five, blanking Susan Salinas in straight sets (6-0, 6-0) to bring the Bobcats within one point of victory.

Sofia Fortuno ultimately sealed the win, defeating Florida A&M’s Reagan Harris (6-2, 6-3) on court three and rendering the remaining matches inconsequential.

Three additional matches remained unfinished at the time of Fortuno’s victory. Tadiwa Mauchi was in control against Larissa Silva (6-4, 3-0), Callie Creath held a slight edge over Genesis Whitelock (6-1, 3-3), and Kiana Graham was locked in a battle with Sara Rakim (6-0, 3-4) when play was halted.

With this victory, the Bobcats concluded their Florida road trip on a high note, propelling themselves above .500 before returning to Texas.

Looking Ahead:
Next on the schedule for the Bobcats is a trip to San Antonio to face the University of the Incarnate World (UIW) Cardinals in an all-Texas showdown.

The Cardinals enter the matchup with a 0-1 record, with their lone defeat coming at the hands of Rice earlier this season. Historically, Texas State has enjoyed considerable success against UIW, holding a 7-1 all-time record in the series, including a decisive 6-1 victory in their most recent encounter.

The Bobcats will aim to build on their recent momentum and further solidify their winning record as they continue their early-season campaign.

The match against UIW will take place at 12 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7, in San Antonio, Texas.