Buffs Comeback Falls Short

BOULDER – For the second consecutive home match the Colorado Buffaloes Tennis team found themselves down 3-0, and for the second consecutive home match the Buffs won three consecutive matches to set up a third-set tiebreaker for the match. Unfortunately, this time around the Buffs magic came up just short in the tiebreaker against No. 52 Utah on Friday afternoon, with the Buffs falling 4-3 here at the CU Tennis Complex on south campus.

On Senior Day for Antonia Balzert, the Buffs looked to flip the script from last week's Arizona matches, but the match didn't get off to a fast start. For the seventh consecutive match the Buffs dropped the doubles point and trailed 1-0. Utah kept the momentum at the start of singles action winning the first two singles matches to go up 3-0, needing only one more win to clinch the match.

Much like the previous home match against Washington the Buffs started to create a little momentum, starting with Aya El Sayed who got the scoring started with her 11th straight win. Colorado would go on to win the next two matches at No. 2 and No. 6 singles from Elys Ventura and Carri Hayes respectively to tie up the match 3-3.

In a back-and-forth match at No. 3 singles between Mila Stanojevic and Kaila Barksdale would come down to a third set tiebreaker to decide the match. In the tiebreaker after a double fault from Stanojevic to tie it at three, Barksdale went on a 4-1 run to close out the match and get the victory for the Utes.

How it Happened

Colorado got the first win of the afternoon at No. 2 doubles 6-2 from Mila Stanojevic and Elys Ventura over Samantha Horwood and Katya Townsend.
Kaila Barksdale and Marcela Lopez got the first win of the day for Utah at No. 3 doubles over Ellen Puzak and Betina Tokac 6-3.
Utah soon after clinched the doubles point at No. 1 doubles behind a 6-3 win from Anastasia Goncharova and Madison Tattini over Antonia Balzert and Aya El Sayed.
Marcela Lopez extended the lead for the Utes at No. 5 singles with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Betina Tokac.
Utah continued to win at No.1 singles with a 6-3, 6-2 win from Katya Townsend over Antonia Balzert to extend the lead to 3-0.
Aya El Sayed continued her Pac-12 dominance with a 6-1, 7-6(5) defeat of Anastasia Goncharova to move to 5-0 in conference play.
Carri Hayes closed the gap for Colorado at No. 6 singles beating Samantha Horwood in three sets 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to get the Buffs within one.
The Buffs tied the match up after a win at No. 2 singles from Elys Ventura 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-1 over Madison Tattini.
With the score tied in a third set tiebreaker Kaila Barksdale closed it out against Mila Stanojevic 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (4) to give Utah the win.

Up Next
The Buffs finished up the regular season and will travel to Ojai, California next week to play in the Pac-12 tournament. The Buffs will play their first match on Wednesday, time and opponent TBD.

Quotes

CU Coach Anthony Pham
"It's tough obviously to lose these matches, we won a 4-3 match last time we were here and to lose a 4-3 match today, it sucks. But I'm proud of the team to again be down 3-0, the match could have been done a hour earlier, but we gave ourselves a chance it just didn't happen for us, but I'm proud of the ladies. When you look at the regular season overall a lot of growth, a lot of maturity not just from this group but the program I feel has taken a step forward so that's all really positive. We got a couple of days and we have to be ready to play on Wednesday in teh Pac-12 tournament."

"I've been here for two and a half years now and we've seen a lot of growth and a ton of maturity from Toni (Balzert). She's done a lot, when I first got here she was playing at No. 4 or No. 5 singles and had a really tough season. To see where she's come from and where she is at now is a testament to her and her hard work. Once again these things don't just happen. She really loves tennis, she works hard, she wants to get better. I'm so proud to see the growth and maturity that she's shown."

Results
No. 52 Utah 4, No. 61 Colorado 3
April 21, 2023
Boulder, Colo. (CU Tennis Complex)

Doubles
1.   Anastasia Goncharova and Madison Tattini (UU) def. Antonia Balzert and Aya El Sayed (CU) 6-3
2.   Mila Stanojevic and Elys Ventura (CU) def. Samantha Horwood and Katya Townsend (UU) 6-2
3.   Kaila Barksdale and Marcela Lopez (UU) def. Ellen Puzak and Betina Tokac (CU) 6-3
Order of finish: (2,3,1)

Singles
1.   Katya Townsend (UU) def. Antonia Balzert (CU) 6-3, 6-2
2.   Elys Ventura (CU) def. Madison Tattini (UU) 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-1
3.   Kaila Barksdale (UU) def. Mila Stanojevic (CU) 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(4)
4.   Aya El Sayed (CU) def. Anastasia Goncharova (UU) 6-1, 7-6(5)
5.   Marcela Lopez (UU) def. Betina Tokac (CU) 6-3, 6-2
6.   Carri Hayes (CU) def. Samantha Horwood (UU) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
Order of finish: (5,1,4,6,2,3*)

Next Event

Team Stats

Players Mentioned

Antonia Balzert

Aya El Sayed

Carri Hayes

Ellen Puzak

Mila Stanojevic

Betina Tokac

Elys Ventura