Buffs Take Down the Spartans

Laramie, Wyo. – The Colorado Buffaloes Tennis team cruised to a 5-2 win over UNC Greensboro at the Wyoming Indoor Tennis Courts here on Saturday, in the first of two matches in Wyoming this weekend.

In their fourth straight road match, Colorado (3-1) has done what they have done all season, dominate doubles play. The Buffs took all three doubles matches over UNC Greensboro (0-3) to extend their unbeaten doubles record to 10-0.

"I'm really proud of the team overall," head coach Anthony Pham said on the day. " You come in here and the ball flies a little bit more, and the team did a good job making adjustments. We have this conversation all the time with the team, on days like this where you don't feel like things are going your way or you aren't playing well, you have to find a way to get the win. I thought the team did a really good job making adjustments and finding a way to get the job done."

Doubles saw Ema Bubalo and Anya Nelson continue to grow as doubles partners, as well as veteran duo Mila Stanojevic and Elys Ventura continue their hot start to the spring. Aya El Sayed and Pia Rebec chipped in as well continuing to win at No. 1 doubles.

Singles began with three fast-paced wins, seeing Stanojevic at No. 3, Ventura at No.2, and Betina Tokac at No. 4 all make quick work of their opponents to clinch the match for the Buffs.

In the match of the day at No. 1 singles, Aya El Sayed came back from losing the first set to finding a way to win in the third to give the Buffs a 5-0 lead.

"Today I think by all accounts rough for her," Pham said on El Sayed. "Today was a day where she wasn't her usual self, but she stuck with it, she stayed in there mentally. In days like this it's just figuring out a way and hopefully tomorrow we can make some adjustments on her court and play a little bit better."

The Spartans would get two wins at the end of the match at No. 5 and No. 6 singles.

HOW IT HAPPENED

In their second weekend together Bubalo and Nelson are beginning to find a rhythm at No. 3 doubles. From the start they were in full control going up 4-0 over Bly and Olexa, after a couple games back in the Spartans favor Bubalo and Nelson closed the door with an ace by Nelson to win the match 6-2.
At No. 2 doubles, Stanojevic and Ventura found themselves going back-and-forth with Gallagher and Thomson with neither going up more than a game putting the match at 3-3. At that point Stanojevic and Ventura put some separation winning the next two games to bring the score to 5-3. Despite the effort from the Spartans, they were able to clinch the doubles point with a 6-4 victory, and give Colorado a 1-0 lead.
Minutes later Aya El Sayed and Pia Rebec followed nearly the same blueprint as Stanojevic and Ventura, with neither team gaining the upper hand until the match stood at 3-3. At that pint El Sayed and Rebec would outscore Babkova and Dodashev 3-1 to finish off doubles with a 6-4 win.
In singles, Stanojevic would dominate her opening set against Olivia Gallagher 6-1. After the first set Gallagher was forced to retire in the match due to injury, giving the Buffs a 2-0 lead.
At No. 2 singles Ventura dominated from the first serve against Alexandra Dodashev, winning 6-2, 6-1 extending the lead for Colorado to 3-0.
Moments later, Betina Tokac clinched the match for the Buffs at No. 4 singles, taking down Lauren Thompson 6-3, 6-1.
In the lone third-set match, El Sayed at No. 1 singles battled back after losing the first set 6-3 to Arina Babkova. In the second set El Sayed tied it up with a 7-5 win. With the match already clinched the third set was a ten-point tiebreaker. In the tiebreaker El Sayed found herself down 9-8, she followed by rattling off three straight points to win the match with a third set victory of 11-9.
In a late lineup change Ellen Puzak took the court at No 5 singles, she fell 7-5, 6-4 to Sydney Bly.
In another late change to the lineup freshman Willow Gretsch took the court in a match for the first time as a Buff. After a tough first set Gretsch came back to win the second set over Ella Olexa. In the third -set tiebreaker the ball went the other way finishing the match with a 6-4, 2-6, 10-4 defeat.

NOTES

Colorado won the first ever meeting between the two programs, leaving the all-time record at 1-0.
Through four matches Colorado is unbeaten in doubles going 10-0, and remains the only Pac-12 school without a double's loss this spring.
This extends Colorado's regular season win streak against non-Power-5 teams to six matches.
Aya El Sayed extends her overall match win streak to 13 matches.
Betina Tokac clinched her first match of the season.

UP NEXT
Colorado will close out their season opening five-match road trip tomorrow against Wyoming in the Wyoming Indoor Tennis Courts. The Buffs are looking for their first weekend sweep of the season. Action begins with first serve at Noon.

RESULTS
Colorado 5, UNC Greensboro 2
February 3, 2024
Laramie, Wyoming (Wyoming Indoor Tennis Courts)

Doubles
1.   El Sayed/Rebec (CU) def. Babkova/Dodashev (UNCG) 6-4
2.   Stanojevic/Ventura (CU) def. Gallagher/Thompson (UNCG) 6-4
3.   Bubalo/Nelson (CU) def. Bly/Olexa (UNCG) 6-2
Order of Finish (3,2*,1)

Singles
1.   Aya El Sayed (CU) vs. Arina Babkova (UNCG) 3-6, 7-5, 11-9
2.   Elys Ventura (CU) def. Alexandra Dodashev (UNCG) 6-2, 6-1
3.   Mila Stanojevic (CU) def. Olivia Gallagher (UNCG) 6-1, inj.
4.   Betina Tokac (CU) def. Lauren Thompson (UNCG) 6-3, 6-1
5.   Sydney Bly (UNCG) def. Ellen Puzak (CU) 7-5, 6-4
6.   Ella Olexa (UNCG) def. Willow Gretsch (CU) 6-4, 2-6, 10-4
Order of Finish: (3, 2, 4*,1, 5, 6)

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Ema Bubalo

Aya El Sayed

Willow Gretsch

Anya Nelson

Ellen Puzak

Pia Rebec

Mila Stanojevic

Betina Tokac

Elys Ventura