Houston Rallies Past Buffaloes

HOUSTON – Colorado women's tennis program suffered a close defeat against the University of Houston here Friday afternoon in a 4-3 loss.

The Buffaloes (5-2) fell to the Cougars (1-2) after taking a 2-0 lead following CU clinching the doubles point. The team tied things up at three all as the fate of the match came down to the No.4 singles match where Phonexay Chitdara defeated Maria Campos in a three set match. Campos took the first set 6-4, then Chitdara rallied back and took all momentum with a 6-0 second set. Chitdara clinched the final set and the match with a 6-4 third set victory.

Colorado started things off with a sweep of the doubles matches as Sophia Derivan and Ky Ecton defeated Azul Pedemonti and Mim Kendall-Woseley 6-3 in the No.2 doubles match. Tallulah Farrow and Campos clinched the point for CU after taking down Elena Tairyan and Jovana Vukovic 6-4. No.35-ranked Monica Malinen and Sara Nayar were up 5-4 in the No.1 doubles match when the point was clinched.

The Buffs jumped out to a 2-0 lead as Antonia Balzert took the No.2 singles match against Sophie Gerits 6-2, 6-4. She improves to 6-1 in dual matches this season. The other point came from freshman Sophia Derivan in the No.3 singles match against Pedemonti. Derivan took a close first set 7-5 before Pedemonti took the second 6-3. Derivan tied up the match at 3-3 for the Buffs with a 6-4 third set win, improving her undefeated dual singles record to 7-0.

Colorado had close 6-4 first set losses in the No.1, No.5 and No.6 matches. Malinen fell to Kendall-Woseley 6-2 in the second, followed by Forster falling to Stephan Belovukovic in another 6-4 second set at the No.5 singles match. Farrow also fell in the No.6 to Tairyan 6-4, 6-3.

CU takes tomorrow off before taking on Southern Methodist University Sunday morning at 10 a.m. MT.

RESULTS:
Singles
1. Mim Kendall-Woseley (UH) def. Monica Malinen (COLO) 6-4, 6-2
2. Antonia Balzert (COLO) def. Sophie Gerits (UH) 6-2, 6-4
3. Sophia Derivan (COLO) def. Azul Pedemonti (UH) 7-5, 3-6, 6-4
4. Phonexay Chitdara (UH) def. Maria Campos (COLO) 4-6, 6-0, 6-4
5. Stephan Belovukovic (UH) def. Megan Forster (COLO) 6-4, 6-4
6. Elena Tairyan (UH) def. Tallulah Farrow (COLO) 6-4, 6-3

Order of finish: 2, 1, 5, 6, 3, 4

Doubles
1. #35 Malinen/Nayar (COLO) vs. Chitdara/Gerits (UH) 5-4, unfinished
2. Ecton/Derivan (COLO) def. Pedemonti/Kendall-Woseley (UH) 6-3
3. Farrow/Campos (COLO) def. Tairyan/Vukovic (UH) 6-4

Order of finish: 2, 3

Next Event

Team Stats

Players Mentioned

Antonia Balzert

Maria Campos

Sophia Derivan

Ky Ecton

Tallulah Farrow

Megan Forster

Monica Malinen

Sara Nayar