Colorado
BYU
Sanders Clinches Tennis Win Over BYU
February 06, 2010 | Tennis
PROVO, Utah - University of Colorado freshman Erin Sanders clinched her first career singles match - in her college debut - lifting the Buffaloes women's tennis team to a come-from-behind, 4-3 victory over No. 65 BYU, Saturday afternoon.
It was also the first-ever CU win over BYU in 22 matches.
The win improves the Buffs to 3-2 overall, while the Cougars fall to 2-4.
Not only did the Buffaloes rally as a team, Sanders triumph was also a come-from-behind win after she lost her opening set, 6-1, only to storm back 6-3, 6-1 over Romina Nedakovic.
It's the second straight 4-3 win for the Buffs and first match of the young season to lose the doubles point and win the overall match.
Sanders, from nearby Parker, Colo., was the 2007 5A state champion as a sophomore, who helped Ponderosa to a runner up team placing during her junior and senior years, improves to 6-2 on the singles court.
"Today was a solid performance even though we started slow in singles, we found out niche," said CU head coach Nicole Kenneally. "It was a good victory for our team and now we'll focus our attention to Boise State on Sunday."
The day did not start well for the Buffs dropping the doubles point. Trailing 1-0, CU evened the team score with Camila Belassi defeating Chie Hayasaka, 6-3, 6-1 at the No. 3 position, securing her eighth win of the year and her 63rd career victory.
BYU subsequently took the next two singles points at the No. 1 and No. 4 slots in what appeared to be a commanding 3-1 advantage.
Senior Melisa Esposito cut the deficit rallying for a 1-6, 6-1, 6-2 win over Kristina Doerr. Esposito, ranked No. 64 nationally won her 10th match of the year, in addition to her 71st career moving into 17th place on the school's all-time wins list. Esposito also engineered her seventh come-from-behind tally and 14th win in 18 matches in three set matches.
At No. 6, sophomore Ania Anuszkiewicz evened the team score at three with a straight set win over Elizaveta Ezhova, 6-2, 6-2. Anuszkiewicz won her fifth singles match of the year setting up Sanders heroics.
Colorado travels to Boise State for a Sunday afternoon match against the Broncos
No. 60 Colorado 4 No. 65 BYU 3
CU (3-2), BYU (2-4)
Feb. 6, Provo, Utah
1d) Esposito/Belassi (CU) def. No. 18 Jones/Price (BYU) 8-4
2d) Doerr/Nedakovic (BYU) def. Milewski/Anuszkiewicz (CU) 8-5
3d) Carney/Hayasaka (BYU) def. Hedelund Jensen/Madie Kern (CU) 8-5
Order of Finish: 1, 3, *2
1s) No. 54 McCall Jones (BYU) def. No. 90 Monica Milewski (CU) 6-2, 6-2
2s) No. 64 Melisa Esposito (CU) def. Kristina Doerr (BYU) 1-6, 6-1, 6-2
3s) Camila Belassi (CU) def. Chie Hayasaka (BYU) 6-3, 6-1
4s) Megan Price (BYU) def. Michala Hedelund Jensen (CU) 6-1, 7-6(6)
5s) Erin Sanders (CU) def. Romina Nedakovic (BYU) 1-6, 6-3, 6-1
6s) Ania Anuszkiewicz (CU) def. Elizaveta Ezhova (BYU) 6-2, 6-2
Order of Finish: 3, 1, 4, 2, 6, *5
Players Mentioned
