Buffs Catch Roadrunners, Complete Another Comeback

HOUSTON – Facing a busy weekend, Colorado's women's tennis team got off to a great start on Saturday, coming back against the University of Texas at San Antonio Roadrunners 4-3 to take the first of two matches they will have this weekend here at the George R. Brown Tennis Center.

CU's impressive comeback win improves their record to 8-2 on the season and it's a rebounding victory having dropped their previous match. As for the Roadrunners, the loss drops their record to 4-4 having also lost their match to Rice on Friday.

HOW IT HAPPENED: Colorado once again had their troubles navigating the doubles point and they dropped the point to start behind 1-0.

UTSA snagged the first point in doubles at the No. 2 spot when CU's paring of sophomores Annabelle Andrinopoulos and Ilana Oleynik dropped their match to the Roadrunner duo of Denisa Ibrahimovic and Sonia Madroñal 6-4.

CU countered at the No. 3 position when senior Nuria Ormeño Ruiz and junior Kyra Wojcik took down UTSA's grouping of Lina Hallgien and Charleen Tiwari 7-5, tying the doubles at 1-1 and putting the deciding point at the top spot.

At the No. 1 spot UTSA's pairing of Miriam Rosell and Kylee Kato outlasted the Buffs pair of junior Louise Ronaldson and freshman Chloe Hule 7-6 (3), the tough loss for CU meant that for the third straight match Colorado started behind 1-0.

But unlike their previous match against UTEP, the Buffs would answer the call and complete their second comeback in a week and a half, winning numbers two through five in singles to finish the day off strong.

Colorado began its climb back at the No. 3 position when Andrinopoulos took down UTSA's Hallgien in straight sets 6-1, 6-1 to quickly get the Buffs back on the winning foot. The win maintains Andrinopoulos's hot streak during the month of February giving her four straight wins.

Following CU's first win in singles, Ronaldson put the Buffs into the lead with a straight set win 6-3, 6-3 at the No. 2 position against UTSA's Ibrahimovic. Much like Andrinopouls this was also Ronaldson's fourth straight win as she's been having a very productive month.

UTSA took the next point at the No. 6 spot when CU's Oleynik dropped her match in straight sets to Tiwari 6-3, 7-5. The result of the match meant that after three singles matches had been played the score was tied up at 2-2.

At No. 1 Colorado's Ruiz was unable to outlast UTSA's Rosell, dropping her match in what was her second straight three-set match, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 to give the Roadrunners the lead in the match at 3-2.

But UTSA's control over the match was short lived as Colorado's four and five would step up big time to make sure the Buffs won the day.

Wrestling control of the match back in CU's favor was Wojcik at the No. 5 positon, as she took down UTSA's Kato 6-4, 7-6(2). It wasn't easy for Wojcik but in the tiebreaker, she outlasted Kato's best attempts to stay in the match and the win meant things were tied up at 3-3.

"Considering the timing of the match Kyra's win could be considered the biggest win of the day for us. Kyra was going back and forth with her girl in the second set, and for Kyra to win in the tight tiebreaker she was in was huge," said CU head coach Nicole Kenneally.

With the score tied, it meant things would be decided in the final match of the day, which was being contested at the No. 4 position between CU's Hule and UTSA's Laura Cabrera.

Continuing the great start to her collegiate career, Hule added to her list of early accomplishments at Colorado, beating Cabrera 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, collecting a big-time clinching win in a three-set marathon.

It wasn't easy for Hule, and after she dropped the first set she needed to dig deep to find a way to stay in the match.

She did that by winning the second set easily, and with her teammates winning matches around her, Hule rode that momentum to the easy third set win to wrap up the exciting comeback for the Buffs.

QUOTEWORTHY: (CU head coach Nicole Kenneally):
General:
"We played hard today. There's always an adjustment that has to be made when going from a high altitude to a low altitude, and considering that we've been at high altitudes all spring, except for Indiana, to make that adjustment and get the win today is really a testament to the fighting spirit of the team. In doubles, we were in every match and we had our opportunities that we didn't convert, but it's important because we didn't walk away from anything. And I'll say the same thing about the singles, if something didn't go well we challenged ourselves to stay in the match both mentally and emotionally. We had a tough fight today and I'm glad we got the win. And I'm proud of how we stayed composed during the match and didn't let anyone thing bug us too much. Rather we turned around and came right back at them again."

On Middle of the Lineup's Performance:
"For everyone to step up for us today was huge. For the middle of our lineup to come through put in solid performances in every one of their singles matches was great."

On Facing No. 23 Rice:
"Rice will be the toughest team we've played so far this year, but it's a huge opportunity for us. Everyone needs to show up and compete in every point that they win. We're going to be looking to take it to them tomorrow and give them everything we've got."

NOTEWORTHY: For Colorado, it's the third straight match they've dropped the doubles point, but the second time in a week and a half where they pulled off the 4-3 comeback the previous time being on Feb. 15 against Air Force; This was Hule's third clinching point in her short career at Colorado and the win raises her record to 11-7; Ronaldson improves her record to 15-3 (6-1 at No. 2) and she carries a four-match winning streak into Sunday's match; Andrinopolous also improves her record, bringing it to 12-6 and she also brings a four-match winning streak into Sunday.

NEXT UP: The Buffs have a quick turnaround, returning to the courts on Sunday at 11 a.m. MT, to face the host No. 23 Rice University Owls. Rice defeated UTSA on Friday, and the Owls will bring a 6-2 record into their match against the Buffs. Live stat links will be available on the Rice women's tennis website and a link will be posted via @CUBuffTennis on twitter.

Colorado 4, UTSA 3
February 25, 2017 at Houston, Texas (George R. Brown Tennis Center)
Singles:
1. Miriam Rosell (UTSA) def. Nuria Ormeño Ruiz (CU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
2. Louise Ronaldson (CU) def. Denisa Ibrahimovic (UTSA) 6-3, 6-3
3. Annabelle Andrinopoulos (CU) def. Lina Hallgien (UTSA) 6-1, 6-1
4. Chloe Hule (CU) def. Laura Cabrera (UTSA) 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
5. Kyra Wojcik (CU) def. Kylee Kato (UTSA) 6-4, 7-6(2)
6. Charleen Tiwari (UTSA) def. Ilana Oleynik (CU) 6-3, 7-5
Order of Finish: 3, 2, 6, 1, 5, 4*

Doubles:
1. Rosell/Kato (UTSA) def. Ronaldson/Hule (CU) 7-6(3)
2. Ibrahimovic/Madronal (UTSA) def. Oleynik/Andrinopoulos (CU) 6-4
3. Ormeño Ruiz/Wojcik (CU) def. Hallgien/Tiwari (UTSA) 7-5
Order of Finish: 2, 3, 1*

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Players Mentioned

Annabelle Andrinopoulos

Chloe Hule

Ilana Oleynik

Nuria Ormeño Ruiz

Louise Ronaldson

Kyra Wojcik