Colorado University Athletics
Sunday, March 15
Houston, TX
12 p.m.
Colorado
0
at
4
Houston
Colorado Drops Match Against No. 36 Houston
March 15, 2026 | Tennis
The Buffs fall in their matchup against the Cougars, 4-0.
HOUSTON, Texas – The No. 51 Colorado Buffaloes tennis team drops another hard-fought match to Houston on Sunday, 4-0, closing out a weekend on the road at the Barbara Wallace Winston Tennis Facility.
Colorado now holds a 10-6 overall record and a 2-4 mark in the Big 12. Houston moves to 12-3 overall, with a 3-3 conference record.
"Disappointing result for our team today," said head coach Anthony Pham, "It was very windy, Houston handled the conditions better than we did, but we did a good job at making adjustments in the second sets to give ourselves a chance."
Despite the loss, the Buffs picked up the first doubles victory of the day with a victory from Ema Bubalo and Anya Nelson, the 36th of their career as a duo.
"We battled in doubles and gave ourselves a chance through every court, but just fell short. Overall, the team competed really hard. We just have to refocus," said Pham.
In singles, Pia Rebec led in her second set, 4-3, before the match went unfinished due to the clinch from Houston. Rixt van der Werff brought her second set to a 5-5 tie at No. 2, which also went unfinished from the respective Cougar wins.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Doubles started with a win at No. 3 from Colorado. Bubalo and Nelson came back to notch a win over Petja Drame and Elizaveta Morozova, 6-4.
At No. 1, Aya El Sayed and Rebec built a lead early, but fell in a close 7-5 finish to the 89th-ranked Sophie Schouten and Chems Doha Zeghlouli.
The Cougars captured the doubles point at the No. 2 spot with a win from Iva Sepa and Valeriia Krokhotina, downing Lera Alexin and Van der Werff, 7-5.
Houston notched the first singles win at No. 4 against Bubalo. Valeriia Krokhotina picked up a straight set win against Bubalo, 6-0, 6-4, to move the Cougars to 2-0 as a team.
The second win came for the Cougars at No. 6, climbing to a 3-0 team score. Sophie Schouten recorded a win over Heidi Crncan, 7-5, 6-4.
A final victory at the top spot gave Houston the 4-0 win. El Sayed fought a hard fight but fell short to Elizaveta Morozova, 6-2, 6-3.
At No. 2, the match between Van der Werff and Doha Zeghlouli was unfinished, with the Cougar taking a 6-4 first-set win and tying it 5-5 in the second.
Rebec led in the second set at No. 3 against Iva Sepa, 4-3, despite losing the first set 6-4. The match went unfinished due to the Cougars' clinch.
Alexin trailed in her matchup against Petja Drame at No. 5, 6-3, 4-1, but the match went unfinished due to the victory.
"We have two great opportunities next week with BYU and Utah," said Pham, "I know our team is resilient, and we will respond to the adversity."
UP NEXT
Colorado will continue home competition next weekend with two Utah match ups. The Buffs face BYU on Mar. 19 at Noon (M.T.), and Utah on the 21st at 1 p.m., with both matches played at the Meadows Club. More information and live results are available at @cubuffstennis.
RESULTS
Doubles
Singles
NOTES
Colorado now holds a 10-6 overall record and a 2-4 mark in the Big 12. Houston moves to 12-3 overall, with a 3-3 conference record.
"Disappointing result for our team today," said head coach Anthony Pham, "It was very windy, Houston handled the conditions better than we did, but we did a good job at making adjustments in the second sets to give ourselves a chance."
Despite the loss, the Buffs picked up the first doubles victory of the day with a victory from Ema Bubalo and Anya Nelson, the 36th of their career as a duo.
"We battled in doubles and gave ourselves a chance through every court, but just fell short. Overall, the team competed really hard. We just have to refocus," said Pham.
In singles, Pia Rebec led in her second set, 4-3, before the match went unfinished due to the clinch from Houston. Rixt van der Werff brought her second set to a 5-5 tie at No. 2, which also went unfinished from the respective Cougar wins.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Doubles started with a win at No. 3 from Colorado. Bubalo and Nelson came back to notch a win over Petja Drame and Elizaveta Morozova, 6-4.
At No. 1, Aya El Sayed and Rebec built a lead early, but fell in a close 7-5 finish to the 89th-ranked Sophie Schouten and Chems Doha Zeghlouli.
The Cougars captured the doubles point at the No. 2 spot with a win from Iva Sepa and Valeriia Krokhotina, downing Lera Alexin and Van der Werff, 7-5.
Houston notched the first singles win at No. 4 against Bubalo. Valeriia Krokhotina picked up a straight set win against Bubalo, 6-0, 6-4, to move the Cougars to 2-0 as a team.
The second win came for the Cougars at No. 6, climbing to a 3-0 team score. Sophie Schouten recorded a win over Heidi Crncan, 7-5, 6-4.
A final victory at the top spot gave Houston the 4-0 win. El Sayed fought a hard fight but fell short to Elizaveta Morozova, 6-2, 6-3.
At No. 2, the match between Van der Werff and Doha Zeghlouli was unfinished, with the Cougar taking a 6-4 first-set win and tying it 5-5 in the second.
Rebec led in the second set at No. 3 against Iva Sepa, 4-3, despite losing the first set 6-4. The match went unfinished due to the Cougars' clinch.
Alexin trailed in her matchup against Petja Drame at No. 5, 6-3, 4-1, but the match went unfinished due to the victory.
"We have two great opportunities next week with BYU and Utah," said Pham, "I know our team is resilient, and we will respond to the adversity."
UP NEXT
Colorado will continue home competition next weekend with two Utah match ups. The Buffs face BYU on Mar. 19 at Noon (M.T.), and Utah on the 21st at 1 p.m., with both matches played at the Meadows Club. More information and live results are available at @cubuffstennis.
RESULTS
Doubles
- No. 89 Sophie Schouten/Chems Doha Zeghlouli (HOU) def. Aya El Sayed/Pia Rebec (CU), 7-5
- Iva Sepa/Valeriia Krokhotina (HOU) def. Lera Alexin/Rixt van der Werff (CU), 7-5
- Ema Bubalo/Anya Nelson (CU) def. Petja Drame/Elizaveta Morozova (HOU), 6-4
Singles
- Elizaveta Morozova (HOU) def. Aya El Sayed (CU), 6-2, 6-3
- Chems Doha Zeghlouli (HOU) vs. Rixt van der Werff (CU), 6-4, 5-5, unf.
- Iva Sepa (HOU) vs. Pia Rebec (CU), 6-3, 3-4, unf.
- Valeriia Krokhotina (HOU) def. Ema Bubalo (CU), 6-0, 6-4
- Petja Drame (HOU) vs. Lera Alexin (CU), 6-3, 4-1, unf.
- Sophie Schouten (HOU) def. Heidi Crncan (CU), 7-5, 6-4
NOTES
- The Buffs hold more wins in the 2026 dual season than 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 and Nelson mark their 36th career win as a pair, and sixth this season.
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,1,2
#1 Singles Match
12
23
Elizaveta Morozova / 0 [HOU]
66
#2 Singles Match
123
45UF
Chems Doha Zeghlouli / 0 [HOU]
65UF
#3 Singles Match
123
44UF
Iva Sepa / 0 [HOU]
63UF
#4 Singles Match
12
04
Valeriia Krokhotina / 0 [HOU]
66
#5 Singles Match
123
31UF
Petja Drame / 0 [HOU]
64UF
#6 Singles Match
12
54
Sophie Schouten / 0 [HOU]
76
Order of Finish:
4,6,1
Players Mentioned
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