Colorado
Nebraska
Tennis Falls 5-2 in Home Finale
April 19, 2009 | Tennis
BOULDER ? University of Colorado freshman Michala Hedelund Jensen capped a 4-0 weekend for herself winning in three sets, however the University of Nebraska tennis team rallied to win five of six singles positions to defeat the Buffaloes, 5-2, Sunday afternoon at the Millennium Hotel Harvest House bubble.
The Cornhuskers (14-6, 6-4 Big 12) erased a 1-0 deficit after losing the doubles point to win for the fourth time in their last five matches. CU drops to 11-8 overall and 7-3 in Big 12 play, while Nebraska won in Boulder for the first time since the 2005 season.
"Nebraska played a great match today," CU head coach Nicole Kenneally said. "Now we turn our attention to Baylor on Wednesday, then to the Big 12 Tournament. We're looking forward to a great week ahead."
The Buffaloes will now travel to Norman, Okla. to play the fifth ranked Baylor Bears (19-4, 9-0 Big 12), Wednesday, April 22 (9 a.m. MST) in a match that was postponed on March 28 due to inclement weather. Nebraska closes the season at Texas Tech on April 22.
With one conference match remaining for each school, Sunday's loss proves costly for the Buffaloes. If NU defeats the Red Raiders and the Buffs fall to Baylor, both CU and NU will finish with identical 7-4 records giving the Cornhuskers the No. 4 seed and first round bye at the conference championships having defeated CU head-to-head.
After the CU/BU match, the Buffaloes will remain in Norman for the Big 12 Tennis Championships beginning April 23 with first round play.
Today's final score of 5-2 between CU/NU marked the first time since 2005 that the final score wasn't a 4-3 decision.
CU took control of the match in the early stages securing the doubles point for the 10th time in 11 outings this season. The Buffs took two of three matches led by Camila Belassi and Melisa Esposito, and by Hedelund Jensen and Abbie Probert at the No. 1 and No. 3 positions, respectively.
Belassi/Esposito improved their conference record to 7-3 with an 8-4 winner over Jana Albers and Madeleine Geibert. It was also the fourth straight win for Belassi/Esposito, in addition to their seventh win in eight matches.
Hedelund Jensen and Probert victory turned out to be the most exciting doubles match of the day rallying from a 4-1 deficit and rattling off seven straight points for the 8-4 win over Wiveca Swarting/Maria Ring. The CU duo broke NU's serve three times in the rally securing their sixth conference victory in the process. It was also their fifth clinching match point this season and second this weekend.
In singles, Hedelund Jensen was the lone CU player who defended her singles slot defeating Stephanie Evans, 6-4, 3-6, 1-0(4). Hedelund Jensen won for the 15th time (10th in the spring) and improved her three set record to 3-1 this year. The freshman from Frederiksberg, Denmark, also won her singles and doubles matches on Friday against Iowa State to cap a perfect 4-0 weekend of play.
No. 73 Nebraska 5, No. 53 Colorado 2
NU (14-6, 6-4 Big 12), CU (11-8, 7-3 Big 12)
April 19, Millennium Harvest House, Boulder, Colo.
1d) Belassi/Esposito (CU) def. Geibert/Albers (NU) 8-4
2d) Weatherholt/Holmberg (NU) def. Jendrian/Anuszkiewicz (CU) 8-2
3d) Probert/Hedelund Jensen (CU) def. Swarting/Maria Ring (NU) 8-4
Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3*
1s) Mary Weatherholt (NU) def. Melisa Esposito (CU) 6-2, 6-4
2s) Madeleine Geibert (NU) def. Camila Belassi (CU) 6-3, 6-2
3s) Jana Albers (NU) def. Abbie Probert (CU) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
4s) Wiveca Swarting (NU) def. Franziska Jendrian (CU) 7-6(5), 6-3
5s) Jennifer Holmberg (NU) def. Ania Anuszkiewicz (CU) 6-4, 6-3
6s) Michala Hedelund Jensen (CU) def. Stephanie Evans (NU) 6-4, 3-6, 1-0(4)
Order of Finish: 2, 1, 3, 4*, 5, 6
Match Notes
- Since the 2005 Big 12 Tennis Championships, CU has now won the doubles point against Nebraska five straight times and have produced a 3-2 team record.
-CU secured its sixth winning season in seven year
-CU lost for only second time in 11 matches when winning the doubles point (9-2)
-CU dropped to 4-3 at home this season and dropped to 6-8 against ranked opponents
-Today marked the last home match from senior Franziska Jendrian. Jendrian is CU's all-time doubles leader (76 wins) and ranks sixth in singles victories (84). In Big 12-only matches, she ranks third all-time at CU with 28 singles triumphs and third in doubles wins with 26.
-CU has won 24 Big 12 matches over the last three years. That's the best three-year total of any three-year span since the inception of the Big 12 for any CU team.
-After 10 Big 12 matches, junior Camila Belassi and sophomore Abbie Probert have each recorded 7-3 records in their respective singles slots. Belassi is 4-2 at No. 2 singles and 3-1 at the top spot, while Probert is 7-3 at No. 3.
-Nebraska's Mary Weatherholt improved her school-record 34th singles win
-Wiveca Swarting won her 30th singles match, ranking third all-time at NU
Players Mentioned
