Colorado
Baylor
Tennis Upsets No. 1 Seed Baylor
April 25, 2003 | Tennis
MERRIAM, Kan. - Senior Dominique Lemperle claimed a three-set victory at No. 1 singles lifting the No. 8 Colorado women's tennis team to 4-2 upset victory over top seeded Baylor, Friday afternoon at the Kansas City Country Club.
The win moves the Buffaloes into the Big 12 Tournament semifinal for the first time since the 1998 season where they subsequently lost to six-time champion Texas in the finals. The Buffaloes will play No. 4 seed Oklahoma State, Saturday at 10 a.m. (MDT). OSU was a 4-2 winner over the Sooners.
Baylor finished the conference season with an impressive 9-2 mark, fell to 11-12 overall. The Buffs became the first team seeded eighth or higher in the Big 12's seven-year history to defeat a team seeded fourth or better.
"It's unbelievable," said CU head coach Nicole Kenneally. "It was a total team effort and girls played super. We fought through moments of adversity and just played great tennis today."
Colorado (14-7), ranked No. 38 in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association poll, avenged a regular season loss two weeks ago to the Bears (April 13) by taking the crucial doubles points winning the No. 2 and No. 3 slots. Morgan Sall and Kendra Strandemo claimed their ninth win of the spring taking an 8-4 decision, and at No. 3, Sarah Burrows and Jessica Vanderdys teamed up for an 8-6 winner. Burrows and Vanderdys were recently selected as the Big 12 position champions for the season, improved to 11-3.
In singles, CU continued its momentum with wins at No. 1, No. 4 and No. 5. Strandemo continued her outstanding season with her 24th win (against nine losses) taking a straight-set winner at No. 4; and No. 5 Vanderdys won her 12th match, also in straight sets. With CU ahead, 3-2, Lemperle, an All-Big 12 No. 1 singles selection upset Vida Mulec, the ITA's No. 100 ranked player in three tough sets, 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to clinch the match.
With the final score already decided, the No. 6 position was not completed. Colorado, winners of three in a row, including five of six, have won 14 matches this season, the most of any Buffs team since 1999.
NO. 8 COLORADO - 4, NO. 1 BAYLOR - 2
Singles: 1) Dominique Lemperle (CU) def. #100 Vida Mulec 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 ; 2) Steffi Balzert (BU) def. Katherine Anne Lutgert 6-2, 6-2; 3) Daria Potapova (BU) def. Lia Dimingo 6-3, 6-1; 4) Kendra Strandemo (CU) def. Izabela Mijic 6-4, 6-3; 5) Jessica Vanderdys (CU) def. Barbie Blahutiakova 6-4, 6-4; 6) Zuzana Krchnakova (BU) vs. Morgan Sall (CU) DNF.
Doubles: 1) Mulec/Balzert (BU) def. Dimingo/Lemperle 8-2; 2) Sall/Strandemo (CU) def. Potapova/Bradley 8-4; 3) Sarah Burrows / Vanderdys (CU) def. Blahutiakova/Mijic 8-6.
Players Mentioned
