Colorado
Kansas State
Tennis Rallies from 3-1 Deficit, Stuns K-State, 4-3
April 09, 2010 | Tennis
BOULDER - Senior Melisa Esposito evened the team score at three, and seconds later, junior Abbie Probert capped it off as the University of Colorado tennis team rallied from a 3-1 deficit to stun Kansas State, 4-3, Friday afternoon under sunny skies at the South Campus Courts.
The Buffaloes have now won five straight matches over the Wildcats improving to 9-8 overall (2-4 Big 12), while K-State falls to 5-9 and 2-4 in conference play.
"It's always tough to come back and win the match after losing the doubles point," CU head coach Nicole Kenneally said. "It's our second time this year we have come back, at least they know they can do that and a lot of times it's on their racquet. I think that gives them confidence."
The day didn't start off well for CU, falling in the doubles portion two of three points. CU did muster a win at No. 2 behind Probert and Michala Hedelund Jensen defeating Nina Sertic/Petra Chuda, 8-5. Hedelund Jensen/Probert winners of six of their last seven matches, improve to 3-1 against the Big 12 Conference. Probert also won her 19th career conference doubles match (10th at CU).
In singles, the home team quickly evened the team score at one as freshman Erin Sanders broke a six-match losing streak and defeated Petra Chuda, 6-0, 6-3 at the No. 6 position. Sanders also claimed her first conference win in the process and 11th triumph of the year.
K-State, who came into the match on a two-match winning streak went ahead with a commanding 3-1 advantage securing singles points at the No. 4 and No. 5 slots.
When it looked as if the visiting team was pushing the match to a deciding third set at the No. 1 position, senior Monica Milewski defended her No. 95 national ranking and defeated Antea Huljev, 6-1, 7-6(4). Milewski trailed 5-2 in the second set, then subsequently sent the match into a tie-breaker securing her 86th career win. The victory was Milewski's 21st of the year, a team-best.
The Park Ridge, Ill. native, claimed her 86th singles and combined with her 76 doubles wins, moves into sole-possession of first place on the school's all-time combined wins list with 162. She tops the previous record holder, Franziska Jendrian, who set the mark last year.
With CU trailing 3-2, Esposito engineered her own rally, defeating Ana Gomez Aleman, 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-1 for her third straight win at No. 2.
Esposito, the nation's No. 124th ranked player, improved to 17-5 for her career in three set matches and claimed her eighth career win after dropping the opening set. She also won her 79th career singles match and 18th of the year.
Just as Esposito evened the team score at three, Probert finally pushed ahead of her opponent with a 10-8 second tiebreaker tally in edging Nina Sertic, 6-4, 7-6(8) at No. 3.
"I wasn't aware of everyone else's match and knew it might come down to my match to decide it," Probert said of her sixth career match clincher. "It was great team effort and shows our team has character of coming back after dropping the doubles point. It takes everybody out here, whether we win or lose the doubles point, everyone has a responsibility out on the court."
CU wraps up its three-match homestand on Sunday at 11 a.m. taking on the Kansas Jayhawks (9-8, 1-4) at the South Campus Courts. Live scoring on the front Colorado twitter web page will be available at www.CUBuffs.com.
Colorado 4, Kansas State 3
CU (9-8, 2-4 Big 12), K-State (5-9, 2-4 Big 12)
April 9, South Campus Courts, Boulder, Colo.
1d) Bonacic/Huljev (K-State) def. (72) Anuszkiewicz/Milewski (CU) 8-2
2d) Hedelund Jensen/Probert (CU) def. Sertic/Chuda (K-State) 8-5
3d) Gomez Aleman/Borau Ramos (K-State) def. Esposito/Madie Kern (CU) 8-4
Order of Finish: 1, *3, 2
1s) (95) Monica Milewski (CU) def. Antea Huljev (K-State) 6-1, 7-6(4)
2s) (124) Melisa Esposito (CU) def. Ana Gomez Aleman (K-State) 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-1
3s) Abbie Probert (CU) def. Nina Sertic (K-State) 6-4, 7-6(8)
4s) Karla Bonacic (K-State) def. Michala Hedelund Jensen (CU) 6-4, 6-4
5s) Carmen Borau Ramos (K-State) def. Ania Anuszkiewicz (CU) 6-2, 6-4
6s) Erin Sanders (CU) def. Petra Chuda (K-State) 6-0, 6-3
Order of Finish: 6, 5, 4, 1, 2, *3
COLORADO MATCH NOTES
- Melisa Esposito and Monica Milewski each have won a team-best 11 spring singles matches.
- On the career singles wins list, Milewski is in sole possession of fourth place fourth with 86 victories, while Esposito is ninth with 79.
- CU is 5-2 at home; 2-0 at South Campus.
- CU leads the all-time series with Kansas State, 23-10 and has won seven of their last eight, including five straight. CU leads 4-3 in Big 12 Conference matches played in Boulder.
- It's only the second CU team in eight matches when losing the doubles point.
- CU improves to 3-1 in 4-3 decisions.
KANSAS STATE MATCH NOTES
- K-State is 2-5 on the road, and 3-3 when winning the doubles point.
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Players Mentioned
