Colorado
Colorado State
Buffs Take Down In-State Rival CSU
March 05, 2016 | Tennis
BOULDER – Playing at the South Campus Tennis Complex for the first time this season, the University of Colorado women's tennis team were not cooled off by the weather, as the Buffs remained unbeaten all-time against in-state rival Colorado State, winning 6-1 on Saturday afternoon.
CU is now 31-0 all-time against CSU and the win improves CU's record this season to 5-6.
“Obviously every win is a big win and every win is great to get,” said CU head coach Nicole Kenneally. “Sometimes when you're playing a team that's already down one, you're kind of thinking that you're that much closer to the win. But we came out in singles and did a good job. We had a couple girls not play the way they wanted to, but they really fought hard showing a lot of resiliency. It's going to be tough to come out and play your best every single day, so it's how you handle the situation when you're not quite playing your best. So I'm really happy with how we came out today.”
The Rams only fielded two doubles teams and five women on the singles side, giving CU a 1-0 head start on singles and a one match advantage in doubles. The Buffs didn't take the early advantage for granted, keeping the pressure on the Rams all afternoon.
Taking that 1-0 advantage into doubles, CU junior Nuria Ormeño Ruiz and junior Kyra Wojcik, playing in the number two spot defeated the Rams tandem of freshman Emily Kolbow and junior Celine Voss 6-1.
After splitting the first two sets, Ormeño Ruiz and Wojcik clamped down and won the next five sets to come away with the relatively easy win, giving the Buffs a 2-0 lead in the doubles and the doubles point for the match.
Rounding out the doubles, and playing the number one spot for the first time, CU sophomore Jeannez Daniel and freshman Annabelle Andrinopoulos held onto the win 6-4, defeating the CSU duo of senior Aina Hernandez Soler and junior Madison Porter. The win gave the Buffs a clean sweep in the doubles.
The young Buffs team did make it interesting, taking an early 4-1 lead they let their play slip just enough and allowed the Ram women to fight back and force a tie at four all. After using the break to refocus on the goal of winning, the two Buffs women won the next two games to take the set and finish off doubles.
Entering singles matches, the Buffs held a 2-0 lead, and as the clouds kept the sun at bay, so did the Buffs keep the Rams at bay wining the singles 4-1.
Finishing first for the Buffs playing the number one spot for the third time this season, while holding onto the number one ranking in the ITA Mountain Region, Ormeño Ruiz defeated Kolbow in straight sets 6-0, 6-4 to remain unbeaten when holding the top spot. The win was the 56th in her career and it moved Ormeño Ruiz into sole possession of tenth place on the CU all-time singles winning percentage list (.667).
After handling Kolbow in the first set with relative ease, Ormeño Ruiz made it slightly interesting in the second set. Kolbow was able to snag the first two games of the second set putting Ormeño Ruiz in a 0-2 hole to start. But Ormeño Ruiz wouldn't let the match slip away and go to a third set. She ripped off the next four games to take a 4-2 lead in the set and continued on to the second set and match win 6-4.
Finishing second for the Buffs and getting her first career collegiate win in singles play, freshman Brigitte Beck defeated CSU's Voss in straight sets 6-4, 6-2. “It's really good to get my first win,” said Beck. “Since I had wrist surgery last year I haven't had a lot of match play. So it's great to get that first win and build my confidence from there."
The first set was a bit back and forth between the two but Beck was able to keep Voss behind by at least two games through the set to win. In the second set she dropped the first game, but after that didn't look back taking a 4-1 lead into the final three games, winning two of the three the wrap up the win for CU.
“There was some added pressure since we've never lost to CSU,” said Beck. “And since they're our in-state rivals I really wanted to get a win today and keep that tradition going. I think I handled the added pressure pretty well today, focusing on my routines and I did what I needed to do to win.
Clinching the match win for the Buffs was Daniel at the number two spot, beating CSU senior Maddie Buxton in straight sets 6-3, 6-3. Daniel's match was lengthened by a stubborn Buxton. In both sets Daniel took an early 3-1 lead only to see Buxton come back both times and force a tie at three all in the first set, and 4-3 in the second set. Daniel didn't let this bother her, and she held off Buxton in both sets to clinch the day for CU.
The hardest fought match of the day came from the number three spot. Playing there for the fourth time in her career Andrinopoulos came back from dropping the first set, to beat Hernandez Soler 5-7, 6-0, 6-4.
“For Annabelle it was a big momentum match,” said Kenneally. “She was up and then she got down, and then she needed to fight her way back which she did.”
After dropping the first set after holding a 3-0 lead, Andrinopoulos came out in the second set determined and with fire in her eyes. Hernandez Soler didn't stand a chance as Andrinopoulos forced the third and deceive set easily. In that third set both women fought back and forth, tying each other at four all before Andrinopoulos dug in for the final two points and the win.
“Annabelle didn't feel like she played her best today,” said Kenneally. “But she won and that's important. You have to take some confidence from a match like this and build that confidence up.”
CU's longest match of the day, was also its only loss. Playing at the number four, Wojcik was unable to hold onto after winning the first set, dropping the match to CSU's Porter 6-3, 2-6, 6-7(5-7).
The third and final set was a bit of a marathon as both woman traded points, and the match needed a tiebreaker to settle things. At the switch the score was tied 3-3, but Porter was able to get the needed last few points to pull off CSU's only win of the day.
The Buffs women open up Pac-12 play next weekend at the South Campus Tennis Complex. Coming into town for the weekend are the two Arizona schools, Arizona State on Friday the 11th and Arizona on Sunday the 13th. Come support the Buff women as they look to get conference play off to a great start.
Colorado 6, Colorado State 1
March 5, 2016 at Boulder, Colo. (South Campus Tennis Complex)
Singles
1. Ormeño Ruiz, Nuria (COLO) def. Emily Kolbow (CSU) 6-0, 6-4
2. Daniel, Jeannez (COLO) def. Maddie Buxton (CSU) 6-3, 6-3
3. Andrinopoulos, Annabelle (COLO) def. Aina Hernandez Soler (CSU) 5-7, 6-0, 6-4
4. Madison Porter (CSU) def. Kyra Wojcik (COLO) 3-6, 6-2, 7-6 (2)
5. Beck, Brigitte (COLO) def. Celine Voss 6-4, 6-2
6. Alkhovik, Vitaliya (COLO) def. N/A (CSU) default
Order of Finish: 6, 1, 5, 2*, 3, 4
Doubles
1. Daniel, Jeannez/Andrinopoulos, Annabelle (COLO) def. Aina Hernandez Soler/Madison Porter (CSU) 6-4
2. Ormeño Ruiz, Nuria/Wojcik, Kyra (COLO) def. Emily Kolbow/Celine Voss (CSU) 6-1
3. Aiello, Alex/Beck, Brigitte (COLO) def. N/A (CSU) default
Order of Finish: 3, 2*, 1
Players Mentioned
