MEN?S TENNIS DEFEATS DENVER, 5-2

DENVER ? For the first time since March 6, the Colorado men’s tennis team found the winners circle and defeated the University of Denver, 5-2 in a non-conference match played at the Stapleton Tennis Pavilion, Saturday afternoon.

The Buffaloes broke a 10-match losing skid and are 6-15 this spring, while the Pioneers four-match winning streak is snapped and fall to 14-9 to close out their regular season.

“The guys responded really well and it was a good win,” said CU head coach Sam Winterbotham. “I thought the first time they (DU) out-competed us and today that’s what we did. DU is a good team and I’m impressed with (head coach) Geoff Young’s team, but we’re fortunate to get the win, but more importantly we’re learning.”

CU took an advantage right from the beginning securing the crucial doubles and a 1-0 lead. Marcos Digliodo and Marko Bundalo made it two in a row this spring over DU’s No. 1 doubles team, defeating Smole and Gaber, 8-4. With momentum in hand, the Buffaloes took care of business at No. 3 when Peter Bjork and Marek Dvorak took an exciting 9-8 decision over Ljubic and Popovic.

In singles, Bjork, Dvorak, Digliodo, and Chad Tsuda followed with straight set victories at their respective singles positions for the 5-2 win.

Bjork broke a three-match losing streak and defeated Urban Ljubic, 6-3, 6-3 at No. 2; Dvorak won his third of his last five defeating Hans Peter Gaber, 6-4, 6-4 at No. 3; Digliodo broke a five-match losing skid and defeated Viktor Zetterholm, 6-4, 6-0 at No. 4; and Tsuda took care of business at his respective singles slot at No. 5 and defeated Jason Tan, 6-4, 7-6.

The Buffs, which haven’t won a match since defeating Big 12 rival Nebraska, 5-2 back on March 6, avenges its April 17 loss to the Pioneers, when they were edged, 4-3 in Boulder.

Up next for Colorado is another non-conference match against Wichita State on Wednesday, April 21. The season finale match will begin at 2:30 p.m. at the CU-Boulder South Campus Tennis Courts.

Colorado 5, Denver 2

Colorado (6-15), Denver (14-9)

Denver, Colo., April 17

Singles

1) #92 Nejc Smole (DU) def. Marko Bundalo 7-5, 6-3

2) Peter Bjork (CU) def. Urban Ljubic 6-3, 6-3

3) Marek Dvorak (CU) def. Hans Peter Gaber 6-4, 6-4

4) Marcos Digliodo (CU) def. Viktor Zetterholm 6-4, 6-0

5) Chad Tsuda (CU) def. Jason Tan 6-4, 7-6

6) Niki Popovic (DU) def. Elliot Quibell 7-6, 6-2

Doubles

1) Digliodo/Bundalo (CU) def. Smole/Gaber 8-4