Colorado
Oklahoma
Tennis Drops 4-3 Decision
March 28, 2010 | Tennis
The Buffaloes (7-8, 0-4 Big 12) have won only one match this season in seven attempts when losing the doubles point. The loss also drops CU under .500 for the first time after 15 matches since the 2001 season, and the 0-4 start is a school-first to start any conference season.
Oklahoma has won five of six and improves to 12-2 overall (3-1 in the conference). The Sooners remain unbeaten at home in eight matches and secured the doubles for the 11th time out of 14 times this season. OU has won impressive 29 of 31 doubles matches.
It's also the first time since the 2002 spring CU has dropped both matches at Oklahoma and Oklahoma State on back-to-back road trips.
"Obviously a tough loss," CU head coach Nicole Kenneally said. "We had players that gave themselves a second opportunity to put themselves in position to win or extend the match, and that's always important in college tennis. We didn't play doubles very well today. As a team, we played better tennis in singles compared to Friday's match. We'll keep working and look forward to our match on Saturday against Missouri."
With a 1-0 advantage, the home team kept the momentum making it 2-0 with a straight-set winner at No. 6.
CU would rally and tie the overall team score taking the next two singles slots at the No. 2 and No. 3 slots, respectively. Senior Melisa Esposito, the nation's No. 110 ranked player, defeated Marie-Pier Huet, 6-4, 6-1 for her 16th victory of the year and her ninth tally at the No. 2 position. The victory was Esposito's 24th career Big 12 singles match (tied for fifth at CU).
In the history books, Esposito notched her 77th singles win and with 73 doubles victories, she now has 150 triumphs, tying for fourth all-time in school history.
Junior Abbie Probert picked up her 12th win of the year and her first Big 12 win of the spring with a straight- set winner over Maria Kalashnikova, 6-2, 7-5 at the No. 3 slot.
After OU quickly regained the overall team lead at No. 4 with a three-set victory, the Sooners clinched the match securing a straight-set winner at No. 5.
CU made the final score 4-3 as senior Monica Milewski, the nation's No. 121 ranked player upset No. 90 Ana-Maria Constantinescu, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 at the top singles spot.
It's the 84th career win for Milewski and her ninth triumph of her career after dropping the first set and rallying to win the match. Milewski also won her second straight Big 12 match (in which she has participated in), has won seven of eight singles matches, and the victory at OU was her 21st conference tally (tied for ninth).
CU returns home to the South Campus Courts taking on Missouri (5-9, 0-3) this Saturday, April 3 at 10 a.m.
No. 31 Oklahoma 4, No. 65 Colorado 3
OU (12-2, 3-1 Big 12), CU (7-8, 0-4 Big 12)
Headington Family Tennis Center, Norman, Okla., March 28
1d) (21) Constantinescu/Tsertsvadze (OU) def. Anuszkiewicz/Milewski (CU) 8-2
2d) Eckel/Huet (OU) def. Esposito/Sanders (CU) 8-2
3d) Kalashnikova/Radan (OU) def. Hedelund Jensen/Probert (CU) 8-7(1)
Order of Finish: 1, *2, 3
1s) (121) Monica Milewski (CU) def. No. 90 Ana-Maria Constantinescu (OU) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
2s) (110) Melisa Esposito (CU) def. Marie-Pier Huet (OU) 6-4, 6-1
3s) Abbie Probert (CU) def. Maria Kalashnikova (OU) 6-2, 7-5
4s) Teona Tsertsvadze (OU) def. Michala Hedelund Jensen (CU) 2-6, 6-0, 6-3
5s) Kristina Radan (OU) def. Ania Anuszkiewicz (CU) 7-5, 7-6(1)
6s) Tara Eckel (OU) def. Erin Sanders (CU) 6-1, 6-3
Order of Finish: 6, 2, 3, 4, *5, 1
Players Mentioned
