Buffs Top UC Riverside in Season Opener

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – For the second straight year and the first time on the road since 2020 the Colorado Buffaloes tennis team opened its spring season 1-0 after the Buffs beat UC Riverside 7-0 here at the SRC Tennis Courts Saturday afternoon.

After a week out west for spring training, the Buffs started fast sweeping doubles play with two brand new pairings, Ema Bubalo and Mila Stanojevic and Anya Nelson and Elys Ventura, as the two doubles teams took the court for the first time together. For Bubalo it wasn't just her first match with Stanojevic, it was her first match as a Buff after missing the fall tour due to injury.

The hot start didn't stop at doubles, the Buffs kept the foot on the gas sweeping all six singles spots, finishing the season opener with a 7-0 win.

"The squad did a nice job today of working through some first match nerves and competed well today," head coach Anthony Pham commented on the 7-0 victory. "We've got a good group who gets along really well and the ceiling is high for them. We've got to keep focusing on getting better every day, but we are happy to head back to Boulder with a win under our belt."

HOW IT HAPPENED

In doubles action, Aya El Sayed and Pia Rebec continued their dominance from the fall tour at the No. 1 spot making quick work of Kamya Nair and Maya Youssef 6-0, to set the tone for the Buffs.
In their first match together Ema Bubalo and Mila Stanojevic found a way to win against Olivia Mcintosh-Adams and Crystal Kim, 6-4 to clinch the doubles point and give Colorado the early 1-0 lead.
To put a stamp on doubles, Anya Nelson and Elys Ventura also in their first match together, went down to the wire against Miki Shahbazi and Sydney Tran. In the end they pulled it out 7-6(4) to sweep doubles play.
Just as it was to start the day El Sayed and Rebec set the tone. El Sayed in her first match at the No. 1 spot cruised to a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Brionna Ngyuen to add to the lead. Then her doubles partner in her first dual match made quick work of Niki Shahbazi at No. 5 singles, 6-0, 6-2 to capture her first dual singles victory and give the Buffs a 3-0 lead.
At No. 4 singles, Betina Tokac took care of business over Kamya Nair 6-0, 6-4 to clinch the match for Colorado.
Despite the match being clinched, Ventura still closed her match in straight sets 6-3, 6-1 against Maya Youssef.
Stanojevic at No. 3 singles added to the streak of straight set victories despite the lone tiebreaker in the second set against Crystal Kim, 6-2, 7-6(5).
To close out the afternoon in Riverside Carri Hayes took the court against Sydney Tran in the No. 6 spot and punctuated the match with the sixth straight set victory 6-4, 6-4.

NOTES

For the second straight year the Buffs start the season 1-0.
This marks the first time since 2020 that the Buffs opened the season with a road win as well as a road sweep.
The all-time series record against UC Riverside stands at 2-0, with a point differential of 16-0.
El Sayed won her first match at No. 1 singles at Colorado.
Bubalo competed and won her first match as a Buff.
Rebec won her first career dual match in both doubles and singles.
Bubalo and Stanojevic and Nelson and Ventura won their first matches as a pairing.

UP NEXT
Colorado will return to California to compete in the ITA Kickoff against No. 4 Stanford, January 26. Exact times are to be determined.

RESULTS
Colorado 7, UC Riverside 0
January 13, 2024
Riverside, California (SRC Tennis Courts)

Doubles
1. El Sayed/Rebec (CU) def. Nair/Youssef (UCR) 6-0
2. Bubalo/Stanojevic (CU) def. Mcintosh-Adams/Kim (UCR) 6-4
3. Nelson/Ventura (CU) def. Shahbazi/Tran (UCR) 7-6(4)
Order of finish: (1,2,3)

Singles
1.   Aya El Sayed (CU) def. Brionna Nguyen (UCR) 6-1, 6-1
2.   Elys Ventura (CU) def. Maya Youssef (UCR) 6-3, 6-1
3.   Mila Stanojevic (CU) def. Crystal Kim (UCR) 6-2, 7-6 (5)
4.   Betina Tokac (CU) def. Kamya Nair (UCR) 6-0, 6-4
5.   Pia Rebec (CU) def. Niki Shahbazi (UCR) 6-0, 6-2
6.   Carri Hayes (CU) def. Sydney Tran (UCR) 6-4, 6-4
Order of finish: (1,5,4*,2,3,6)

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Players Mentioned

Ema Bubalo

Aya El Sayed

Carri Hayes

Anya Nelson

Pia Rebec

Mila Stanojevic

Betina Tokac

Elys Ventura