Aiello and Steur Advance To ITA Singles Round of 16

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of Colorado women's tennis team flexed its muscle in singles play on day two of the 2014 USTA/ITA Mountain Regional Championships as senior Julyette Steur and junior Alexandra Aiello each won a pair of singles matches advancing to the Round of 16, on Thursday at the University of New Mexico.

Of the final 16 women playing in the Round of 16, the Buffaloes have the third most from one school participating with a pair. Utah leads with four and the host Lobos have three players. Overall on the day, the Buffaloes went 6-2 in singles and 1-1 on the doubles court.

Steur, seeded second in the tournament received a first round bye on Wednesday of the 128-player bracket, as did Aiello and sophomore Nuria Ormeño Ruiz, and it showed as all three won in straight sets during Round of 64 play early on Thursday.

Steur defeated Juliette Legendre of Nevada, 6-1, 6-2, then in the early evening, swept Chloe Forlini of Air Force, 6-1, 6-0 in the Round 32. Steur continues to have a stellar fall season improving her fall record to a team-best 6-1. The pair of singles wins gives Steur 49 career wins, moving into the 32nd place on the all-time singles list.

Also picking up a pair of singles victories was Aiello, who defeated UNLV's Paola Artiga, 7-6(4), 6-3. Aiello would later earn her second win on the day outlasting BYU's Toby Miclat, 7-6(4), 2-6, 6-4. Ironically, Aiello faced Miclat during the morning doubles competition as CU came up short. In the singles match, Aiello pulled away in the third to claim her fifth career third set tally. It was also her 22nd win as a CU Buff.

Freshman Kyra Wojcik continued her outstanding play this fall season defeating freshman Lucia Badillos of Idaho, 6-4, 6-1, However, in the Round of 32, Wojcik dropped a 6-2, 6-2 decision to Utah's Jena Cheng.

In a battle of sophomores, Nuria Ormeño Ruiz picked up her 22nd career victory defeating Lily Forlini of Air Force, 6-1, 6-2 then in evening play, fell to Natasha Smith of New Mexico, 6-3, 4-6, 6-1.

In the Round of 64 doubles, the Buffaloes went 1-1 during the morning as Steur and Wojcik won their second match in as many days defeating Colorado State seniors Natalie Heffron and Adriana Wojakowska, 8-2. Steur and Wojcik advance to Friday's Round of 16 where they will play seniors Christa Gecheva and Jessica Parizher of Wyoming. Aiello and Ormeño Ruiz dropped a tough 8-5 decision to the top seed, BYU's Mayci Jones and Toby Miclat.

Friday is day three of the regional beginning with doubles in the Round of 16 and the quarterfinals, and the Round of 16 singles.

CU is one of 20 schools competing at the regional tournament over the five-day event featuring a 128-player singles and 64-team doubles draw. A regional title is not the only thing that these teams will be battling for as the singles champion and doubles pair champions will also receive an automatic berth into the 2014 USTA/ITA National Indoor Champions being held Nov. 8-10 in Flushing, N.Y.

Full results will be posted at the end of each day on cubuffs.com.

2014 USATA/ITA Mountain Regional Championships
Albuquerque, N.M./University of New Mexico, Thursday, Oct. 16
Round of 32: Doubles
(1) Mayci Jones/Toby Miclat (BYU) def. Alexandra Aiello/Nuria Ormeño Ruiz (CU) 8-5
Julyette Steur/Kyra Wojcik (CU) def. Natalie Heffron/Adriana Wojakowska (Colorado State) 8-2

Round of 64: Singles
Alexandra Aiello (CU) def. Paola Artiga (UNLV) 7-6(4), 6-3
Kyra Wojcik (CU) def. Lucia Badillos (Idaho) 6-4, 6-1
(2) Julyette Steur (CU) def. Juliette Legendre (Nevada) 6-1, 6-2
Nuria Ormeño Ruiz (CU) def. Lily Forlini (Air Force) 6-1, 6-2

Round of 32: Singles
(2) Julyette Steur (CU) def. Chloe Forlini (Air Force) 6-1, 6-0
Alexandra Aiello (CU) def. Toby Miclat (BYU) 7-6(4), 2-6, 6-4
Jena Cheng (Utah) def. Kyra Wojcik (CU) 6-2, 6-2
Natasha Smith (New Mexico) def. Nuria Ormeño Ruiz (CU) 6-3, 4-6, 6-1

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Players Mentioned

Julyette Steur

Kyra Wojcik