Colorado Cruises to Win in Home Opener

BOULDER – First home match for the Colorado Buffaloes Tennis team, first home win of the season. The Buffs defeated the Air Force Academy 7-0 at the Rocky Mountain Tennis Center Saturday morning, sweeping the double followed by six singles victories.

After battling through the first month of the season on the road in tough conditions, Colorado (5-1) returned to Boulder and used the home court advantage over visiting Air Force (1-4) dominating the match from start to finish.

Last weekend the Buffs struggled in doubles against Wyoming losing the point for the first time this season, but they got back on track Saturday sweeping doubles winning easily at No. 1 and No. 2 to give Colorado an early 1-0 lead.

"I thought we did a really good job across the board today," head coach Anthony Pham said on the win. "We brought pretty good energy; doubles have shown to be a good component of ours. They did a good job of handling all three doubles teams."

Much like doubles play, singles came and went with a dominant effort for the Buffs. Starting at No. 3 singles Mila Stanojevic took care of business extending the lead for Colorado to 2-0.

"I thought last week was a little tougher with the conditions, but playing at home is always nicer to play," Stanojevic said. "We had some fans come out and that was amazing, it always feels better to play at home. It was important that we got the doubles win and I think that set us up for a lot of success in singles matches. Everyone competed, it was a good win for us today."

The next Buff to get on the board was Aya El Sayed at No. 1 singles, putting the Buffs one-point away from the clinch with a 3-0 lead.

For the second consecutive match it was Elys Ventura who clinched the match at No. 2 singles. Unlike last weekend, the match was all Ventura, clinching in straight sets.

"Match to match, it is always a little different," Pham said. "The ladies did a good job of being able to get a lead and sticking with it. In all of the matches they found a way to get the job done at the end of the day."

After the clinch the Buffs played the match out, securing three more wins at No. 4, No, 5, and No. 6 singles. The victory at No. 5 singles saw the first win at Colorado for newcomer Alexandra Abyasova.

"It was good, I think we would have liked it to happen a couple of weeks ago, but circumstances didn't allow that," Pham said on Abyasova's first match of the season. "She did a good job today, she settled in and getting a win at this time of the year is a big deal. Hopefully that leads to getting more and more comfortable on the court."

HOW IT HAPPENED

Mila Stanojevic and Elys Ventura got the morning started at No. 2 doubles taking down Isabella Flodin and Arian Van Houweling easily with a score of 6-3.

"This year we know each other so well," Stanojevic said on playing with Ventura in doubles. "We've played so much together, and it's so fun being on the court together playing doubles. We're very consistent too. We know each other so well, it's going to be a good season together."

Getting back to their winning ways at No. 1 doubles, El Sayed and Pia Rebec clinched the doubles point with a 6-3 win of their own over Nadia Kojonroj and Alexis Odom to give Clorado the 1-0 lead.
For the second straight match Ema Bubalo and Anya Nelson ended with their match unfinished due to the clinch already occurring. The duo led 5-2 against Joselyn Limbago and Giovanna Sanchirico at the time of the clinch.
Getting the action going in singles, Stanojevic controlled the match throughout, finishing the match 6-1, 6-0 against the Falcon's Isabella Flodin.
At No.1 singles, there was never a doubt for El Sayed, winning 6-2, 6-1 over Odom to extend her singles winning streak to nine matches and give the Buffs a 3-0 lead.
As the match inched towards a win for the Buffs, Ventura put the deciding stamp on the day with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Arian Van Houweling to clinch the match for Colorado.
In her first match as a Buff Abyasova claimed her first win over Giovanna Sanchirico 6-4, 6-2.
As the match continued on Rebec continued the winning for the Buffs going 6-1, 6-2 over Joselyn Limbago at No. 6 singles.
In the lone match that went to the third set, Betina Tokac battled back after losing the first set to Nadia Kojonroj to win the second set as well as the third set tiebreaker at a score of 4-6, 6-4, 1-0 (8) to finish off the sweep for the Buffs.

NOTES

The all-time record against Air Force moves to 22-3 overall and 10-1 at home.
Colorado extends its regular season win streak against non-power-five opponents to eight.
Aya El Sayed adds on to her singles winning streak pushing it to nine matches.
In her first match at Colorado Alexandra Abyasova captured her first win as a Buff.
Mila Stanojevic pushed her singles win streak to five matches.

UP NEXT
Colorado finishes up their first home weekend back at the Rocky Mountain Tennis Center tomorrow against Missouri, first serve at 10 a.m.

RESULTS
Colorado 7, Air Force 0
February 10, 2024
Boulder, Colorado (Rocky Mountain Tennis Center)

Doubles
1.   El Sayed/Rebec (CU) def. Kojonroj/Odom (AFA) 6-3
2.   Stanojevic/Ventura (CU) def. Flodin/Van Houweling (AFA) 6-3
3.   Bubalo/Nelson (CU) def. Limbago/Sanchirico (AFA) 5-2, unf
Order of Finish: (2, 1*)

Singles
1.   Aya El Sayed (CU) def. Alexis Odom (AFA) 6-2, 6-1
2.   Elys Ventura (CU) def. Arian Van Houweling (AFA) 6-3, 6-2
3.   Mila Stanojevic (CU) def. Isabella Flodin (AFA) 6-1, 6-0
4.   Betina Tokac (CU) def. Nadia Kojonroj (AFA) 4-6, 6-4, 1-0 (8)
5.   Alexandra Abyasova (CU) def. Giovanna Sanchirico (AFA) 6-4, 6-2
6.   Pia Rebec (CU) def. Joselyn Limbago (AFA) 6-1, 6-2
Order of Finish: (3,1,2*,6,5,4)

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Players Mentioned

Alexandra Abyasova

Ema Bubalo

Aya El Sayed

Anya Nelson

Pia Rebec

Mila Stanojevic

Betina Tokac

Elys Ventura