Colorado
Texas
Women Netters Run at Big 12's Falls Short to Texas
April 30, 2005 | Tennis
AUSTIN, Texas ? The University of Colorado women's tennis team run through the Big 12 Tournament came to a halt Saturday afternoon falling 4-0 to No. 2 seed and No. 10 nationally ranked Texas in the semifinal round of the conference tournament.
The Buffaloes fall to 12-12 on the season, while the Longhorns advance to Sunday's conference final for the second straight year to play top seeded Baylor. Colorado entered the conference tournament as the No. 6 seed defeating No. 11 Kansas and No. 3 Nebraska by 4-2 margins in the first and quarterfinal round, respectively.
Saturday against the Longhorns, CU faced a trio of nationally players among the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) poll at the No. 53, No. 80, and No. 89 slots.
Trailing 1-0 after losing in the doubles portion, CU fell victim to the Longhorns in straight sets at the No. 1, No. 3, and No. 5 singles positions.
Texas (19-5) also defeated the Buffaloes, 5-2 back on March 26 in their lone match up of the season and improve to a perfect 14-0 against CU in the all-time series dating back to 1978.
“Texas is a good team,” said CU head coach Nicole Kenneally, who has guided the Buffs to a winning season three straight years and a pair of conference semifinal appearances in three years. “They were able to make us play more balls and we weren't able to get our shots in today. Winning the doubles point is always a momentum builder for singles play and we weren't able to get that today so it was definitely key (for Texas).”
Not only was it perhaps Colorado's last match of the year, but it may also have been the last match for senior Kendra Strandemo. Strandemo, the lone CU senior won 71 career singles and 51 doubles matches over her four-year career. Her 71 singles wins are the 12th most among all CU women.
“She's been a great member of this team the last four years and one of the best team players in my six years coaching,” said Kenneally. “It's going to be sad not to have her around next season, as it is with every senior that becomes a member of our program.”
Ranked No. 62 nationally and as high as No. 46, the Buffaloes post-season appearance in the NCAA Tournament will be determined Wednesday, May 4 when the selection committee will announce the field for both the men's and women's bracket on ESPNews. The women's announcement will begin at approximately 2:30 p.m. mountain time, followed by the men's announcement at 2:45 p.m. ESPNews is located on DirecTV channel 207/DishNetwork channel 142. In addition, the ESPNews audio signal is available on the ESPNews channel on XM Radio and SIRIUS Radio.
No. 10 Texas 4, No. 62 Colorado 0
No. 2 Seed UT (19-5), No. 6 Seed CU (12-12)
April 30, Big 12 Tournament Semifinal
Doubles
1) (57) Strandemo/Vanderdys (CU) vs. (31) Ruckert/Strohm (UT) ? did not finish
2) Dizdar/Marovic (UT) def. Kever/Sedivec 8-3
3) Baritot/Zauft (UT) def. Torres Torres/Jenny Hanson 8-3
Singles
1) (53) Petra Dizdar (UT) def. Lynzee Kever 6-1, 6-0
2) Kendra Strandemo (CU) vs. (89) Mia Marovic (UT) ? did not finish
3) (80) Kendra Strohm (UT) def. Jessica Vanderdys 6-2, 6-0
4) Veera Nurmi (CU) vs. Katie Ruckert (UT) ? did not finish
5) Courtney Zauft (UT) def. Martina Sedivec 6-1, 6-1
6) Gleisy Torres Torres (CU) vs. Ristine Olson (UT) ? did not finish
Players Mentioned
