Colorado
Southern California
Wojcik Earns Second Straight Win, But CU Falls To No. 27 USC
April 03, 2016 | Tennis
BOULDER – The University of Colorado women's tennis team dropped a tough match on Sunday afternoon, falling 6-1 to the No. 27 University of Southern California Women of Troy at the South Campus Tennis Complex.
The Buffs' sixth straight loss drops their record to 6-13 (1-7 Pac-12) and USC improves its record to 10-4 (5-0 Pac-12) with the win.
“The thing we've learned, having played the four California schools is that we're being competitive and we're fighting hard, doing a lot of good things,” said CU head coach Nicole Kenneally. "It's a game of inches when you're playing the match and we're not that far off, but we're far enough off that we aren't completing our goals just yet. That comes down to your mental toughness, and I believe that the girls are going to keep working and working to achieve what we want.”
CU and USC began their match with doubles play, and USC took two of the three matches for the point.
The number two doubles finished first as CU freshman Annabelle Andrinopoulos and sophomore Kyra Wojcik lost their match 6-0 to the USC pair of freshmen Jessica Failla and Rianna Valdes.
USC clinched the doubles point at the number one spot, as the nationally ranked No. 71 pair of junior Zoë Katz and sophomore Madison Westby defeated CU's tandem of junior Nuria Ormeño Ruiz and sophomore Jeannez Daniel 6-2.
Singles play began with CU trailing 1-0, but the opportunity still stood for CU to make up the gap.
Playing in the number four spot, CU senior Alex Aiello dropped her match to nationally ranked No. 95 Jessica Failla in straight sets 6-2, 6-2. Aiello was able to tie things at two all in the first set, but Failla never let Aiello get any type of grip on the match winning the last four games in the first. And Failla took the last three games in the second set to lock up the match.
Finishing up next was the match in the number two position between CU's Daniel and USC's Katz. Katz took the match from Daniel in straight sets 6-4, 6-1.
Daniel took an early 3-1 lead in the first set but was unable to keep Katz at bay, as she worked the match to a three all tie before taking the last two games and the set. Katz handled Daniel in the second set and took the match for USC.
The clinching point came in the number three slot as USC's Westby, nationally ranked No. 123, defeated the Buffs' Andrinopoulos in straight sets 6-1, 7-5. Andrinopoulos fought back in the second set after starting down 0-3. She worked the score to five all before Westby was able to put her away winning the last two games and the match.
CU did take a match from the Women of Troy at the number five position when Valdes, nationally ranked No. 106, retired in her match against Wojcik to give CU its only win on the day. It was the second consecutive Pac-12 victory for Wojcik, who improved to 2-6 in the conference this season.
Number one singles was a match between two nationally ranked opponents, CU's No. 47 Ormeño Ruiz and USC senior No. 22 Giuliana Olmos. Olmos took the match in straight sets 7-6(7-4), 6-2. But Ormeño Ruiz showed a lot of fight in the match, especially in the first set.
Trailing 3-1 midway through the set, Ormeño Ruiz was able to tie things at three all, then again at six all when facing elimination, forcing a tiebreaker to decide the first set. Olmos lived up to her billing winning the second set and the match after trading the first two games with Ruiz.
The final match of the day was in the number six slot between CU freshman Brigitte Beck and USC freshman Kristen Venter. Venter took the match 7-6(7-4), 3-6, (10-7) needing a third-set tiebreaker to decide the affair.
Beck showed a lot of grit and determination from the start of the match. After falling behind 4-1, she fought all the way back to force a tiebreaker in the set. She then handled things in the second set never looking back after tying things at two all.
The third set tiebreaker didn't go as well for Beck, but she was able to fight her way back into the breaker after dropping the first five of six points. But Venter was able to outlast Beck to get the final win of the day for USC.
CU heads out on the road next weekend to take on another Pac-12 opponent the No. 38 Oregon Ducks (4/8) and a non-conference match against Portland (4/10). Keep up with the Buffs on the road using @CUBuffstennis.
No. 27 USC 6, Colorado 1
South Campus Tennis Complex (Boulder, Colo.)
Singles
1.) No. 22 Giuliana Olmos (USC) def. Nuria Ormeño Ruiz (CU) 7-6 (4), 6-2
2.) Zoe Katz (USC) def. Jeannez Daniel (CU) 6-4, 6-1
3.) No. 123 Madison Westby (USC) def. Annabelle Andrinopoulos (CU) 6-1, 7-5
4.) No. 95 Jessica Failla (USC) def. Alex Aiello (CU) 6-2, 6-2
5.) Kyra Wojcik (CU) def. No. 106 Rianna Valdes (USC) 6-7 (1), 2-2, retired
6.) Kristen Venter (USC) def. Brigitte Beck (CU) 7-6 (4), 3-6, (10-7)
Order of Finish: 4, 2, 3*, 5, 1, 6
Doubles
1.) No. 71 Zoe Katz/Madison Westby (USC) def. Nuria Ormeño Ruiz/Jeannez Daniel (CU) 6-2
2.) Jessica Failla/Rianna Valdes (USC) def. Annabelle Andrinopoulos/Kyra Wojcik (CU) 6-0
3.) Alex Aiello/Brigitte Beck (CU) v. Giuliana Olmos/Kristen Venter 5-5 DNF
Order of Finish: 2, 1*
Players Mentioned
