Buffs Drop Match Against No. 20 UCF

Friday, March 13

Orlando, FL

4 p.m.

Colorado

UCF

March 13, 2026 | Tennis

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Colorado falls short in its fifth Big 12 Match up of the season.

By: Teagan Schreiber, Athletic Communications Student Assistant

ORLANDO, Fla. – The No. 51 Colorado Buffaloes tennis team fought a hard fight but fell short on the road against No. 20 UCF, 4-1, Friday at the USTA National Campus.

Colorado now holds a 10-5 overall record and a 2-3 mark in the Big 12. UCF moves to 11-2 overall, and 4-1 in conference.

"Very proud of the way our Buffs competed tonight," head coach Anthony Pham said. "Playing under the lights in windy conditions made things tricky, but I thought we gave ourselves plenty of opportunities."

Opening the day in doubles competition, the Buffs dropped two matches at the No. 2 and 3 positions to give the Knights a lead opening singles play.

Despite three losses in singles, the first win of the day went to Colorado. Ema Bubalo found a win in her first Big 12 match up of the season, downing her opponent in straight sets to keep Colorado in the match.

At No. 5, Lera Alexin secured a first-set victory over her opponent, 7-6 (3), but the match was unfinished due to a clinch by the Knights.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Doubles play started at the No. 3 position with a win from the Knights. Bubalo and Anya Nelson secured three games, but ultimately fell to Vladislava Andreevskaya and Jade Psonka, 6-2.

To clinch the doubles point, UCF found its second win at No. 2 over Alexin and Rixt van der Werff, falling to No. 80 Lauren Seye and Olivia Bergler, 6-3.

At the top doubles position, Aya El Sayed and Pia Rebec led 4-3 against Jantje Tibuerger and Marina Gatell, but the match was left unfinished due to the previous victories.

Beginning singles play, Bubalo got it started with a win at No. 4 over Andreevskaya. Bubalo allowed only three games, downing the Knight 6-1, 6-2, to tie up the team score, 1-1.

Shortly after, El Sayed fell at the top spot, giving UCF a lead. Bergler downed El Sayed 6-0, 6-4, bringing the Knights up 2-1.

UCF extended its lead to 3-1 on No. 3, with Rebec falling short in straight sets to Marina Gatell, 6-2, 6-0.

The Knights clinched the 4-1 win with a final straight set victory at No. 2, with Jantje Tilbuerger downing van der Werff, 6-4, 6-0.

At No. 5, the matchup between Alexin and Seye went unfinished, but Alexin captured the first set in a 7-6 (3) tiebreak, and Seye led the second set, 2-1.

Heidi Crncan fell in her first set against Psonka at No. 6, but was able to tie it up 2-2 in the second before the match went unfinished.

"Credit to UCF overall, as I thought they played very well. We now turn our focus to getting ready for a tough Houston team on Sunday," Pham said.

UP NEXT
Colorado heads to Texas to face No. 36 Houston on Sunday. Competition will begin at Noon (M.T.) at the Barbara Wallace Winston Tennis Facility. More information and live results can be found @cubuffstennis.

RESULTS
Doubles

Aya El Sayed/Pia Rebec (CU) vs. Jantje Tibuerger/Marina Gatell (UCF), 4-3, unf.
No. 80 Lauren Seye/Olivia Bergler (UCF) def. Lera Alexin/Rixt van der Werff (CU), 6-3
Vladislava Andreevskaya/Jade Psonka (UCF) def. Ema Bubalo/Anya Nelson (CU), 6-2

Order of finish: 3, 2
Singles

Olivia Bergler (UCF) def. Aya El Sayed (CU), 6-0, 6-4
Jantje Tilbuerger (UCF) def. Rixt van der Werff (CU), 6-4, 6-0
Marina Gatell (UCF) def. Pia Rebec (CU), 6-2, 6-0
Ema Bubalo (CU) def. Vladislava Andreevskaya (UCF), 6-1, 6-2
Lauren Seye (UCF) vs. Lera Alexin (CU), 6-7 (3), 2-1, unf.
Jade Psonka (UCF) vs. Heidi Crncan (CU), 7-5, 2-2, unf.

Order of finish: 4,1, 3, 2

NOTES

The Buffs hold more wins in the 2026 dual season then their overall record of the 2024-25 season (9-14).
The Buffs hold over 200 career victories in singles play as a team, and over 100 total singles victories this season.
Bubalo notched her first Big 12 match and win this season, the third of her career.
Bubalo's singles win also marked her 25th career singles victory.