Colorado University Athletics
Wednesday, February 15
Colorado Springs, Colo.
5:00 PM
Colorado
4
at
3
Air Force
CU senior Nuria Ormeño Ruiz (77-41) moved up to tenth all-time on CU's singles wins list with a 6-3, 6-2 win tonight.
Photo by: CUBuffs.com
Buffs Mount Determined Comeback, Topple Air Force 4-3
February 15, 2017 | Tennis
USAFA, COLO. – Colorado's women's tennis team dropped the doubles point for only the second time this season, and it meant the Buffs had to put together a Wednesday night comeback to beat the U.S. Air Force Academy Falcons, which they did 4-3 here at the Cadet Gymnasium Indoor Tennis Courts.
The comeback win improves the Buffs record to 7-1 and it means that CU is on a three match winning streak. The loss halts the Falcons' own three match winning streak dropping their record to 4-4 on the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED: For only the second time this season the Buffs came out and struggled through doubles play dropping the point to Air Force, putting themselves in a hole they needed to then dig themselves out of.
The Buffs started the match off taking the first point at the doubles No. 2 spot when the CU duo of senior Nuria Ormeño Ruiz and junior Kyra Wojcik defeated the Air Force pairing of Chloe Forlini and Jocelle Rudico 6-3. It was the second straight win for the two, building off their first win together during CU's last match against Utah State.
Air Force quickly took the next point in the No. 3 slot when Lily Forlini and Nadeen Liberman defeated CU's sophomore pair of Annabelle Andrinopoulos and Brigitte Beck 6-2, setting up the No. 1 spot to be the deciding match for the doubles point.
At the No. 1 and deciding point, CU's top pairing of junior Louise Ronaldson and freshman Chloe Hule were unable to handle the Falcon duo of Elizabeth Barnickle and TJ Fumagalli dropping the match 6-3.
The loss meant the Buffs were in a 1-0 hole entering singles play and they were determined to show their resilience and heart going forward in the match.
Putting the Buffs back on the right track and playing in her familiar home at No. 1, Ruiz handled her match against Air Force's Chloe Forlini, taking the match in straight sets 6-3, 6-2.
Ruiz's last eight matches have been decided in straight sets, with Ruiz winning seven of the eight which is one reason she's had a strong start to the spring season.
Continuing the Buff comeback, and putting together her own personal comeback at the No. 4 spot, was CU's Andrinopoulos taking down Air Force's Lily Forlini in straight sets 7-6 (1), 6-4.
The match wasn't easy for Andrinopoulos as she fell behind 3-1 early in the first set, before fighting back to tie and take the lead late. Forlini didn't go away after losing her lead and she forced a tiebreaker that went back and forth until Andrinopoulos held off Forlini to take the breaker and the set 7-6 (1).
Andrinopoulos had an easier job in the second set taking care of things to win the set to put the Buffs up 2-1, which was their first lead of the night.
At the No. 3 CU's Hule dropped her match in straight sets 6-1, 7-6 (7-3) to Air Force's Fumagalli. But in the second set Hule showed she wasn't one to get knocked down without a fight, giving Fumagalli everything she could handle.
Quickly Hule was in a 5-1 hole and facing a quick exit in her match, but she dug down deep finding a way to come all the way back and put herself in the set tying it 5-5 at one point.
Hule, unfortunately, didn't have the energy she needed to keep up her torrid comeback and, after forcing a tiebreaker, she dropped the breaker 7-3 to drop the final set 7-6 (4) and the match.
Hule's loss evened the overall score at 2-2, and it meant the final three matches would decide the match. And it meant the Buffs would be able to showcase the resilience they've showed time and time again this season.
Ronaldson, playing at the No. 2, battled her way to a three-set victory 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 against Air Force's Barnickle to give control back to the Buffs in the form of a 3-2 lead in the match.
Much like her teammates, Ronaldson had to dig deep to get the win and it started early in the first set. Facing a quick 3-0 hole, Ronaldson ripped off six straight games to take the first set 6-3.
After dropping the second set, Ronaldson found herself in a back and forth affair in the third set, and at one point the set was tied 5-5. But Ronaldson wouldn't allow herself to be defeated and she won the final two games to take the third set 7-5.
Leading 3-2, the Buffs finally got the clinching point at the No. 5 when Wojcik fought off Air Force's Liberman in straight sets 7-6 (4), 6-4 to complete the comeback for the Buffs.
The first set wasn't easy for Wojcik, as Liberman went back and forth with Wojcik forcing a tiebreaker. In the breaker Wojcik took control, and after going ahead 5-1 she never took her foot off the gas winning the final two points to take the breaker.
With the one set lead, Wojcik took the confidence she had built up into the second set where she fought off Liberman's best efforts. Once the score reached a tie at 5-5, Wojcik wasn't about to let Liberman force a third set, as Wojcik won the final two games to take the set 7-5 and the match to finish off CU's well-earned comeback.
With the team match already decided and CU's comeback complete, CU's Beck dropped her match at the No. 6 slot to Air Force's Rudico in straight sets 6-2, 7-5 wrapping up the evening.
QUOTEWORTHY (CU Head Coach Nicole Kenneally):
"Tonight the team played with a lot of heart. We played in probably the most aggressive environment we will see all year and we took it in stride and didn't let it effect us. Air Force really came out quickly in the doubles and got on top early. They also started strong in singles and we did a great job of really settling down in the singles and started getting into our rhythm. It's tough to come out and play your best tennis in every match but to come out and play with a big heart is necessary every day and today we did that. This shows our players that they have the ability, mindset and heart to find a way to win in tough conditions. Great win for this team and excited to play UTEP on Sunday at home."
MOVING UP THE ALL-TIME LIST: Entering the night Ruiz only needed one win to continue her assault on CU's record books and move into the top ten of CU's all-time singles wins list, she did just that getting her 77th career win to gain sole possession of tenth on the list.
Ruiz's win improves her career record to 77-41 and the all-time singles wins list wasn't the only list that she moved into the top ten on. With her 15th career win at the No. 1 position Ruiz also moved into tenth place on CU's all-time No.1 singles wins list.
NOTEWORTHY: For the Buffs the win improves their all-time record against Air Force to 17-1 and they're 10-1 all-time at Air Force; The win is Wojcik's 25th career win and her first clinching win of the 2017 spring season; It's the third straight win for Ronaldson and her overall record improves to 14-1 (5-1 at No. 2); And for Ruiz it's her third straight win as well as her overall record improves to 17-5 (7-1 at No. 1).
NEXT UP: The Buffs return to home on Sunday when they welcome the University of Texas at El Paso Miners to Boulder, the match will start at 10:00 a.m. MT.
Colorado 4, U.S. Air Force Academy 3
February 15, 2017 at U.S. Air Force Academy (Cadet Gymnasium Indoor Tennis Courts)
Singles:
1. Nuria Ormeño Ruiz (CU) def. Chloe Forlini (AF) 6-3, 6-2
2. Louise Ronaldson (CU) def. Elizabeth Barnickle (AF) 6-4, 4-6, 7-5
3. TJ Fumagalli (AF) def. Chloe Hule (CU) 6-1, 7-6 (4)
4. Annabelle Andrinopoulos (CU) def. Lily Forlini (AF) 7-6 (1), 6-2
5. Kyra Wojcik (CU) def. Nadeen Liberman (AF) 7-6 (4), 6-4
6. Jocelle Rudico (AF) def. Brigitte Beck (CU) 6-2, 7-5
Order of Finish: 1, 4, 3, 2, 5*,6
Doubles:
1. Barnickle/Fumagalli (AF) def. Ronaldson/Hule (CU) 6-3
2. Ormeño Ruiz/Wojcik (CU) def. C. Forlini/Rudico (AF) 6-3
3. L. Forlini/Lieberman (AF) def. Andrinopoulos/Beck (CU) 6-2
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1*
The comeback win improves the Buffs record to 7-1 and it means that CU is on a three match winning streak. The loss halts the Falcons' own three match winning streak dropping their record to 4-4 on the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED: For only the second time this season the Buffs came out and struggled through doubles play dropping the point to Air Force, putting themselves in a hole they needed to then dig themselves out of.
The Buffs started the match off taking the first point at the doubles No. 2 spot when the CU duo of senior Nuria Ormeño Ruiz and junior Kyra Wojcik defeated the Air Force pairing of Chloe Forlini and Jocelle Rudico 6-3. It was the second straight win for the two, building off their first win together during CU's last match against Utah State.
Air Force quickly took the next point in the No. 3 slot when Lily Forlini and Nadeen Liberman defeated CU's sophomore pair of Annabelle Andrinopoulos and Brigitte Beck 6-2, setting up the No. 1 spot to be the deciding match for the doubles point.
At the No. 1 and deciding point, CU's top pairing of junior Louise Ronaldson and freshman Chloe Hule were unable to handle the Falcon duo of Elizabeth Barnickle and TJ Fumagalli dropping the match 6-3.
The loss meant the Buffs were in a 1-0 hole entering singles play and they were determined to show their resilience and heart going forward in the match.
Putting the Buffs back on the right track and playing in her familiar home at No. 1, Ruiz handled her match against Air Force's Chloe Forlini, taking the match in straight sets 6-3, 6-2.
Ruiz's last eight matches have been decided in straight sets, with Ruiz winning seven of the eight which is one reason she's had a strong start to the spring season.
Continuing the Buff comeback, and putting together her own personal comeback at the No. 4 spot, was CU's Andrinopoulos taking down Air Force's Lily Forlini in straight sets 7-6 (1), 6-4.
The match wasn't easy for Andrinopoulos as she fell behind 3-1 early in the first set, before fighting back to tie and take the lead late. Forlini didn't go away after losing her lead and she forced a tiebreaker that went back and forth until Andrinopoulos held off Forlini to take the breaker and the set 7-6 (1).
Andrinopoulos had an easier job in the second set taking care of things to win the set to put the Buffs up 2-1, which was their first lead of the night.
At the No. 3 CU's Hule dropped her match in straight sets 6-1, 7-6 (7-3) to Air Force's Fumagalli. But in the second set Hule showed she wasn't one to get knocked down without a fight, giving Fumagalli everything she could handle.
Quickly Hule was in a 5-1 hole and facing a quick exit in her match, but she dug down deep finding a way to come all the way back and put herself in the set tying it 5-5 at one point.
Hule, unfortunately, didn't have the energy she needed to keep up her torrid comeback and, after forcing a tiebreaker, she dropped the breaker 7-3 to drop the final set 7-6 (4) and the match.
Hule's loss evened the overall score at 2-2, and it meant the final three matches would decide the match. And it meant the Buffs would be able to showcase the resilience they've showed time and time again this season.
Ronaldson, playing at the No. 2, battled her way to a three-set victory 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 against Air Force's Barnickle to give control back to the Buffs in the form of a 3-2 lead in the match.
Much like her teammates, Ronaldson had to dig deep to get the win and it started early in the first set. Facing a quick 3-0 hole, Ronaldson ripped off six straight games to take the first set 6-3.
After dropping the second set, Ronaldson found herself in a back and forth affair in the third set, and at one point the set was tied 5-5. But Ronaldson wouldn't allow herself to be defeated and she won the final two games to take the third set 7-5.
Leading 3-2, the Buffs finally got the clinching point at the No. 5 when Wojcik fought off Air Force's Liberman in straight sets 7-6 (4), 6-4 to complete the comeback for the Buffs.
The first set wasn't easy for Wojcik, as Liberman went back and forth with Wojcik forcing a tiebreaker. In the breaker Wojcik took control, and after going ahead 5-1 she never took her foot off the gas winning the final two points to take the breaker.
With the one set lead, Wojcik took the confidence she had built up into the second set where she fought off Liberman's best efforts. Once the score reached a tie at 5-5, Wojcik wasn't about to let Liberman force a third set, as Wojcik won the final two games to take the set 7-5 and the match to finish off CU's well-earned comeback.
With the team match already decided and CU's comeback complete, CU's Beck dropped her match at the No. 6 slot to Air Force's Rudico in straight sets 6-2, 7-5 wrapping up the evening.
QUOTEWORTHY (CU Head Coach Nicole Kenneally):
"Tonight the team played with a lot of heart. We played in probably the most aggressive environment we will see all year and we took it in stride and didn't let it effect us. Air Force really came out quickly in the doubles and got on top early. They also started strong in singles and we did a great job of really settling down in the singles and started getting into our rhythm. It's tough to come out and play your best tennis in every match but to come out and play with a big heart is necessary every day and today we did that. This shows our players that they have the ability, mindset and heart to find a way to win in tough conditions. Great win for this team and excited to play UTEP on Sunday at home."
MOVING UP THE ALL-TIME LIST: Entering the night Ruiz only needed one win to continue her assault on CU's record books and move into the top ten of CU's all-time singles wins list, she did just that getting her 77th career win to gain sole possession of tenth on the list.
Ruiz's win improves her career record to 77-41 and the all-time singles wins list wasn't the only list that she moved into the top ten on. With her 15th career win at the No. 1 position Ruiz also moved into tenth place on CU's all-time No.1 singles wins list.
NOTEWORTHY: For the Buffs the win improves their all-time record against Air Force to 17-1 and they're 10-1 all-time at Air Force; The win is Wojcik's 25th career win and her first clinching win of the 2017 spring season; It's the third straight win for Ronaldson and her overall record improves to 14-1 (5-1 at No. 2); And for Ruiz it's her third straight win as well as her overall record improves to 17-5 (7-1 at No. 1).
NEXT UP: The Buffs return to home on Sunday when they welcome the University of Texas at El Paso Miners to Boulder, the match will start at 10:00 a.m. MT.
Colorado 4, U.S. Air Force Academy 3
February 15, 2017 at U.S. Air Force Academy (Cadet Gymnasium Indoor Tennis Courts)
Singles:
1. Nuria Ormeño Ruiz (CU) def. Chloe Forlini (AF) 6-3, 6-2
2. Louise Ronaldson (CU) def. Elizabeth Barnickle (AF) 6-4, 4-6, 7-5
3. TJ Fumagalli (AF) def. Chloe Hule (CU) 6-1, 7-6 (4)
4. Annabelle Andrinopoulos (CU) def. Lily Forlini (AF) 7-6 (1), 6-2
5. Kyra Wojcik (CU) def. Nadeen Liberman (AF) 7-6 (4), 6-4
6. Jocelle Rudico (AF) def. Brigitte Beck (CU) 6-2, 7-5
Order of Finish: 1, 4, 3, 2, 5*,6
Doubles:
1. Barnickle/Fumagalli (AF) def. Ronaldson/Hule (CU) 6-3
2. Ormeño Ruiz/Wojcik (CU) def. C. Forlini/Rudico (AF) 6-3
3. L. Forlini/Lieberman (AF) def. Andrinopoulos/Beck (CU) 6-2
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1*
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