WICHITA FALLS, Texas— Playing in her home state for the first time in her young collegiate career, Colorado Mesa University freshman Halle Romero teamed with No. 3 doubles partner Carolena Campos for a 7-5 victory on what was otherwise a tough day at the office for the Colorado Mesa University Maverick women's tennis team on Thursday afternoon here at the Weeks Park Tennis Center.
 
That victory, which moved Campos and Romero to 3-0 as a duo, was the Mavs' only victory against the nation's 14^th-ranked Angelo State University Rambelles, who extended their team winning streak to six matches with a 7-0 overall decision.  ASU, which is also ranked first in the NCAA Division II South Central Region, improved to 8-1 while the Mavericks slipped to 7-6 overall after the first of four matches at the MSU-Texas Tennis Invitational that they will play in through Sunday morning.
 
Romero, a freshman out of Corpus Christi and Calallen High School, and Campos, a senior from CMU's home base of Grand Junction, Colorado, were paired for the first time two weeks ago at the Dixie State Trailblazer Invitational and won all three of their matches, including a default win that does not count on their individual record.
 
On Thursday, they downed ASU's Maria Delgadillo and Anna Scheemann.  Delgadillo is ranked third in the region for doubles with another partner in Zoe Gubbels, who paired with Virginie Becht on Thursday for a 6-4 win over CMU's Rebbeca Osterberg and Maike Waldburger at No. 2 to clinch the doubles point.
 
Earlier, the nation's fourth-ranked doubles duo of Valentia Gonzales and Ena Ovcina had downed CMU's Kristen Kirby and Laura Alsing, 6-0, in the top flight.
 
In singles play, the Rambelles swept all seven matches, including an exhibition in straight sets.  Three of the Rambelle victors are ranked amongst the region's top 12 singles players, including No. 5 Gonzalez, who is also ranked 25^th nationally.
 
Campos fared the best in singles but was beaten by Delgadillo, 7-5, 6-2 in the No. 4 singles match.
 
"That was a tough team that played really smart tennis," Maverick Coach Dan MacDonald said about the Rambelles.  "They were aggressive when they had short balls and were strong defensively when needed.  A lot of our shots were landing short because of the lack of altitude."
 
"We should play better with each match," he continued in previewing the rest of the Mavericks' weekend, which continues Friday against the 15^th-ranked host Mustangs and another Lone Star Conference foe in Cameron.
 
CMU then plays No. 19 Southwest Baptist on Saturday morning to conclude the trip.