Colorado University Athletics
Saturday, February 21
Las Vegas, NV
11 a.m.
Colorado
4
vs
1
Gonzaga
Buffs Take Down Gonzaga, Utah Tech To Close Out Non-Conference Play
February 21, 2026 | Tennis
LAS VEGAS – The Colorado Buffaloes tennis team extended its win streak to five and ended a successful stint in Las Vegas with three wins after beating Gonzaga 4-1 and Utah Tech 7-0 Saturday at the Fertitta Tennis Complex to improve to 8-2 on the season.
In a total team effort, Pia Rebec and Lera Alexin were both 3-0 on the day, Rebec winning her only doubles match and both singles matches, while Alexin won both of her singles matches and one doubles match with the other one unfinished.
Additionally, Aya El Sayed, Rixt van der Werff and Anya Nelson were all 2-0 on the day while Lani Brotman went 3-1 and Heidi Crncan and Yukiko Ikedo both won a match.  Willow Gretch was up with Crncan in her doubles match against Utah Tech but it didn't finish.
"A good weekend for our Buffs," Head Coach Anthony Pham said. "Playing three matches in two days is no easy task, and our group did a really good job. Gonzaga was a tricky match for us today, and we did a good job and took a mature approach to the day with Utah Tech."
The wins close out the Buffs non-conference slate for the season, as Big 12 play opens next week with a trip to play Iowa State and Kansas State.
"We're done with the non-conference schedule and headed into Big 12 play next week," Pham said. "We'll spend the next couple of days resting up and then we'll prepare for a couple of tough matches on the road.  We have a few things we need to focus on to be ready next weekend but proud of our team this weekend."
HOW IT HAPPENED
Lani Brotman and Anya Nelson quickly got the Buffs off to a good start, claiming victory over Karla Brown and Emily Robertson, 6-1, at No. 3 doubles against Gonzaga.  Shortly thereafter, Aya El Sayed and Pia Rebec clinched the doubles point with a 6-2 win over Rose Hayes and Sveva Zerpelloni at the  No. 1 spot.  Lera Alexin and Rixt van der Werff didn't finish their match at No. 2 doubles.
In singles action, Gonzaga drew first blood at No. 4 with Elizabeth Tindera defeating Brotman, 6-1, 6-4.  Within minutes, Lera Alexin gave CU a 2-1 lead in the match after defeating Zerpelloni, 6-2, 6-3.Â
While Nelson was winning a tiebreaker in the first set, 7-6 (4), El Sayed got a win at No. 1 singles over Diana Yanotovskaya, 6-4, 6-4, to put CU up 3-1.  Rebec then clinched the match with a 6-3, 6-1, win at No. 3 over Hayes to give the Buffaloes a 4-1 victory.
After a brief break, the Buffs teed off against Utah Tech and Alexin and van der Werff, moving up to No. 1 doubles, took down Mariana Berdecio and Ana Sampere, 6-1.  CU took the doubles point when Broatman and Nelson, who moved up to No. 2, defeated Maya Inouye and Nutsa Tsintsadze, 6-2.  Heidi Crncan and Willow Gretsch were up 4-3 when the doubles point was clinched to give CU a 1-0 lead in the match.
The Buffs made quick work of Utah Tech in singles action, with van der Werff winning 6-1, 6-0, against Berdecio to give the Buffs a 2-0 lead.  Alexin defeated Tsintsadze, 6-1, 6-1, followed shortly by Crncan 6-1, 6-1 over Henrix to clinch the match, 4-0.Â
The two teams played out the remaining action, as Rebec took care of Sampere 6-2, 6-1, Yukiko Ikedo defeated Ortega 6-3, 6-1, and Brotman beat Inouye, 6-2, 6-3, for the 7-0 victory.
UP NEXT
The Buffs now begin Big 12 play and hit the road for a pair of matches at Iowa State on Friday, Feb. 27, and at Kansas in Sunday, March 1.  CU will then return home for matches against Kansas State on March 6 and Oklahoma State on March 8 at Meadows Club in Boulder.
GONZAGA RESULTS
Doubles
Singles
UTAH TECH RESULTSÂ
Doubles
Singles
In a total team effort, Pia Rebec and Lera Alexin were both 3-0 on the day, Rebec winning her only doubles match and both singles matches, while Alexin won both of her singles matches and one doubles match with the other one unfinished.
Additionally, Aya El Sayed, Rixt van der Werff and Anya Nelson were all 2-0 on the day while Lani Brotman went 3-1 and Heidi Crncan and Yukiko Ikedo both won a match.  Willow Gretch was up with Crncan in her doubles match against Utah Tech but it didn't finish.
"A good weekend for our Buffs," Head Coach Anthony Pham said. "Playing three matches in two days is no easy task, and our group did a really good job. Gonzaga was a tricky match for us today, and we did a good job and took a mature approach to the day with Utah Tech."
The wins close out the Buffs non-conference slate for the season, as Big 12 play opens next week with a trip to play Iowa State and Kansas State.
"We're done with the non-conference schedule and headed into Big 12 play next week," Pham said. "We'll spend the next couple of days resting up and then we'll prepare for a couple of tough matches on the road.  We have a few things we need to focus on to be ready next weekend but proud of our team this weekend."
HOW IT HAPPENED
Lani Brotman and Anya Nelson quickly got the Buffs off to a good start, claiming victory over Karla Brown and Emily Robertson, 6-1, at No. 3 doubles against Gonzaga.  Shortly thereafter, Aya El Sayed and Pia Rebec clinched the doubles point with a 6-2 win over Rose Hayes and Sveva Zerpelloni at the  No. 1 spot.  Lera Alexin and Rixt van der Werff didn't finish their match at No. 2 doubles.
In singles action, Gonzaga drew first blood at No. 4 with Elizabeth Tindera defeating Brotman, 6-1, 6-4.  Within minutes, Lera Alexin gave CU a 2-1 lead in the match after defeating Zerpelloni, 6-2, 6-3.Â
While Nelson was winning a tiebreaker in the first set, 7-6 (4), El Sayed got a win at No. 1 singles over Diana Yanotovskaya, 6-4, 6-4, to put CU up 3-1.  Rebec then clinched the match with a 6-3, 6-1, win at No. 3 over Hayes to give the Buffaloes a 4-1 victory.
After a brief break, the Buffs teed off against Utah Tech and Alexin and van der Werff, moving up to No. 1 doubles, took down Mariana Berdecio and Ana Sampere, 6-1.  CU took the doubles point when Broatman and Nelson, who moved up to No. 2, defeated Maya Inouye and Nutsa Tsintsadze, 6-2.  Heidi Crncan and Willow Gretsch were up 4-3 when the doubles point was clinched to give CU a 1-0 lead in the match.
The Buffs made quick work of Utah Tech in singles action, with van der Werff winning 6-1, 6-0, against Berdecio to give the Buffs a 2-0 lead.  Alexin defeated Tsintsadze, 6-1, 6-1, followed shortly by Crncan 6-1, 6-1 over Henrix to clinch the match, 4-0.Â
The two teams played out the remaining action, as Rebec took care of Sampere 6-2, 6-1, Yukiko Ikedo defeated Ortega 6-3, 6-1, and Brotman beat Inouye, 6-2, 6-3, for the 7-0 victory.
UP NEXT
The Buffs now begin Big 12 play and hit the road for a pair of matches at Iowa State on Friday, Feb. 27, and at Kansas in Sunday, March 1.  CU will then return home for matches against Kansas State on March 6 and Oklahoma State on March 8 at Meadows Club in Boulder.
GONZAGA RESULTS
Doubles
- Aya El Sayed/Pia Rebec (CU) def. Rose Hayes/Sveva Zerpelloni (GON), 6-2
- Lera Alexin/Rixt van der Werff (CU) vs. Elizabeth Tindera/Diana Yanotovskaya (GON) 4-4, unf.
- Lani Brotman/Anya Nelson (CU) Â def. Karla Brown/Emily Robertson (GON), 6-1
Singles
- Aya El Sayed (CU) def. Diana Yanotovskaya (GON), 6-4, 6-4
- Rixt van der Werff (CU) vs. Emily Robertson (GON), 3-6, 5-4 unf.
- Pia Rebec (CU) def. Rose Hayes (GON), 6-3, 6-1
- Elizabeth Tindera (GON) def. Lani Brotman (CU), 6-1, 6-4
- Lera Alexin (CU) def. Sveva Zerpelloni (GON), 6-2, 6-3
- Anya Nelson (CU) vs. Karla Brown (GON), 7-6 (4), 0-0 unf.
UTAH TECH RESULTSÂ
Doubles
- Lera Alexin/Rixt van der Werff (CU) def. Mariana Berdecio/Ana Sampere (UTU), 6-1
- Lani Brotman/Anya Nelson (CU) def. Maya Inouye/Nutsa Tsintsadze (UTU), 6-2
- Heidi Crncan/Willow Gretsch (CU) vs. Cameron Hendrix/Ilse Ortega (UTU), 4-3 unf.
Singles
- Rixt van der Werff (CU) def. Mariana Berdecio (UTU), 6-1, 6-0
- Pia Rebec (CU) def. Ana Sampere (UTU), 6-2, 6-1
- Lani Brotman (CU) def. Maya Inouye (UTU), 6-2, 6-3
- Lera Alexin (CU) def. Nutsa Tsintsadze (UTU), 6-1, 6-1
- Heidi Crncan (CU) def. Cameron Hendrix (UTU), 6-1, 6-1
- Yukiko Ikedo (CU) def. Ilse Ortega (UTU), 6-3, 6-1
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,1
#1 Singles Match
12
Diana Yanotovskaya / 0 [GON]
44
66
#2 Singles Match
123
Emily Robertson / 0 [GON]
64UF
35UF
#3 Singles Match
12
Rose Hayes / 0 [GON]
31
66
#4 Singles Match
12
Elizabeth Tindera / 0 [GON]
66
14
#5 Singles Match
12
Sveva Zerpelloni / 0 [GON]
23
66
#6 Singles Match
123
Karla Brown / 0 [GON]
60UF
70UF
Order of Finish:
4,5,1,3
Players Mentioned
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