Buffs Breeze By No.67 Denver

Wednesday, April 6

Boulder, Colo.

11:00 AM

Colorado

Denver

Photo by: Tim Benko, Benko Photographics

April 06, 2022 | Tennis

Box Score

Defeat Denver For First Time Since 2015

By: Shaun Wicen, Assistant SID

BOULDER – The Colorado women's tennis team brought out the brooms Wednesday afternoon, sweeping in-state rival and No.67-ranked Denver here by a score of 4-0.

The win is the first for Colorado (7-11, 0-7 Pac-12) against Denver (10-7) in six tries and the first sweep of the Pioneers since 1997.

Colorado opened the match winning the doubles point thanks to a 6-2 win in the No.3 doubles match with Betina Tokac and Ellen Puzak defeating Tatum Burger and Andrea Burguete. CU clinched the point with a win in the No.2 doubles match as Ky Ecton and Mila Stanojevic defeated Taylor Melville and Toni Nelson 6-4.

Moving to the top three singles matches, Caroline Pozo dropped the first set to Melville 6-1. She bounced back and dominated the second and third sets 6-3, 6-1 to give CU its second team point.

In the No.1 match, Antonia Balzert battled with Anna Riedmiller who was undefeated in dual matches against the Buffs. Balzert found herself down 5-3 in the first set but rallied to win the next three games. Riedmiller forced a tiebreak but Balzert had momentum and won it by a score of 7-3. The second set was similar with Balzert taking the early lead 4-2 before dropping the next three games. Facing set point, Balzert rallied to win the next three games and secure the win 7(3)-6, 7-5.

The final match came down to Megan Forster in the No.3 singles match against Camille Anderson. Forster fell in the first set 7-5, but like Pozo she rallied and destroyed the second and third sets to win 5-7, 6-3, 6-1.

The ranked win is the second this season for Colorado after they defeated No.71 Iowa earlier in the season. CU finishes out its home schedule Friday against No.20 Arizona State a 1 p.m. before taking on No.49 Arizona for senior day Sunday at 11 a.m.

QUOTES
Head Coach Anthony Pham
On The Upset
We are happy for the ladies. This was by far the best match we played all year. Complete match. Everyone played a role. We were just talking, me, Brian and Hailey are super proud of the ladies, and it was a gutsy performance because Denver is always good. We haven't beat them since 2015 so just happy and proud of them.

On Pozo's Comeback
Talking about gutsy, she woke up Monday with a sore throat and sick and didn't get to practices yesterday. To put out a performance like that is huge and huge for the team.

On Antonia Defeating Riedmiller
Riedmiller's obviously a good player. She made it the finals of our regionals tournament this fall. She's normally nationally ranked. That's a really good job by Toni to just hanging in there and fighting and just getting through those tough moments. We talked about finding a way, she found a way today. That was huge for her, huge for the team. Hats off to her.

RESULTS
Colorado 4, #67 Denver 0

Singles competition
1. Antonia Balzert (COLO) def. Anna Riedmiller (DEN) 7-6 (7-3), 7-5
2. Caroline Pozo (COLO) def. Taylor Melville (DEN) 1-6, 6-3, 6-1
3. Megan Forster (COLO) def. Camille V-Anderson (DEN) 5-7, 6-3, 6-1
4. Mila Stanojevic (COLO) vs. Britt Pursell (DEN) 1-2, unfinished
5. Andrea Burguete (DEN) vs. Betina Tokac (COLO) no result
6. Toni Nelson (DEN) vs. Ky Ecton (COLO) no result

Doubles competition
1. Britt Pursell/Camille V-Anderson (DEN) def. Caroline Pozo/Antonia Balzert (COLO) 6-1
2. Ky Ecton/Mila Stanojevic (COLO) def. Taylor Melville/Toni Nelson (DEN) 6-4
3. Betina Tokac/Ellen Puzak (COLO) def. Tatum Burger/Andrea Burguete (DEN) 6-2

Match Notes:
Denver 10-7; National ranking #67
Colorado 7-11, 0-7 Pac-12
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (2,1,3)