Colorado Falls in Close Match Against Utah
March 08, 2025 | Tennis
The Buffs leave Utah after two close call finishes, falling short of their first conference win.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Colorado Buffaloes ended their trip to Utah with another close match lost, falling to the Utes 4-3. The Buffs tailed Utah throughout the entire day, bringing the match down to the final singles court in a third set.
The Buffaloes (6-6, 0-4 Big 12) continue to find their first Big 12 victory since winning their last in 2010. With only four conference matches under their belt, the team has seven singles victories and have brought every match down to the final singles court. With plenty of competition left in the season, Colorado will continue to look for their footing and fight hard through conference competition.
"Another heartbreaker for our team today," head coach Anthony Pham said. "Tough times don't last, tough people do and we will continue to respond and be the resilient group that we are. Two more opportunities coming next week and we will be ready for them."
The Buffaloes continued to show their dominance in doubles competition, capturing their tenth doubles point of the dual season. Ema Bubalo and Pia Rebec started the show downing Barskdale and Horwood, 6-0, and after a loss at No. 2, Anya Nelson and Rixt van der Werff capped it off with their 6-4 win to move the Buffs into singles competition on top.
Singles competition kept everyone on their toes as the Buffs and Utes kept the match points close, trading wins till the very end.
In the beginning, Utah was able to put two straight wins on the board, setting ahead 2-1. Rebec changed that quickly at No. 5, recording her straight-set victory over Valletta, getting the Buffs back on track to keep close to the Utes.
Rebec's win was soon followed by another Utah win at No. 2 with Kidd downing Van der Werff, but this didn't stop the Buffaloes as Alexin continued her fight at the No. 6 spot, winning her second-set tiebreaker, moving the Buffs to match Utah at 3-3 overall.
In the end, it was down to Ema Bubalo at No. 4 to finish the day. Bubalo fought all the way to the third but fell just short of a victory against Valletta.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Colorado got the day's first win quickly in doubles after Ema Bubalo and Pia Rebec put together their first complete match as a pair winning 6-0 over Kaila Barksdale and Samantha Horwood at No. 3 doubles.
The next two matches played out nearly the same, but the team that finished on top differed. The first to wrap up was the No. 2 doubles match between Alexin and Stanojevic and Emma Kamper and Hayley Roberts. Alexin and
Stanojevic took a 4-2 lead early but lost the next four games, giving Utah a 6-4 win.
Anya Nelson and Van der Werff concluded the doubles action, trailing 4-2 to Sara Akid and Emma Valletta. Like in the previous match, they took the next four games to win the match and the doubles point 6-4.
Moving to singles play, Utah earned its first win at No. 1 singles. Kamper defeated Stanojevic 6-1, 6-4 to tie the match 1-1.
After a slow start at No. 3 singles, Betina Tokac began to make a comeback in the first set against Barksdale, tying the set 5-5. Barksdale followed that by rattling off eight straight games to win the first set 7-5 and the second set 6-0, giving Utah a 2-1 lead.
Needing a win to slow the Utah momentum, Rebec delivered with a convincing 6-2 first set win over Dylan Lolofie. Rebec kept the pace up in the second set, getting out to a 5-2 lead, but Lolofie countered, making her work before finishing it with a 6-4 victory, tying the match 2-2.
Van der Werff played just her second career match at No. 2 singles across the court from Akid, who controlled the first set, winning 6-3 and much of the early second set with a 4-2 lead. A strong push from Van der Werff put her ahead 6-5, closing in on forcing a third set. Akid forced a set tiebreaker by winning the following game. Akid did just enough in the tiebreaker to finish the match, winning 7-6 (5).
With Utah leading the match 3-2, Colorado needed the last two matches, and they got the first at No. 6 singles from Alexin. She defeated Horwood in straight sets, including a second set tiebreaker, 6-4, 7-6 (5).
Finishing the day, Ema Bubalo brought her match against Emma Valletta to the final set, after coming back in the second and winning 7-5. Throughout the third set, the two stayed neck in neck, climbing in points one after the other. Valetta then found a 5-4 lead, and finished the match capturing her final game point, 6-4.
UP NEXT
Colorado will stay on the road next week and travel to Texas, starting with Baylor on March 14 and then TCU on March 16.
RESULTS
Utah 4, Colorado 3
March 8, 2025
Salt Lake City, Utah (George S. Eccles Tennis Center)
Doubles
Singles
NOTES
Anya Nelson recorded her 40th career individual doubles victory.
The Buffaloes (6-6, 0-4 Big 12) continue to find their first Big 12 victory since winning their last in 2010. With only four conference matches under their belt, the team has seven singles victories and have brought every match down to the final singles court. With plenty of competition left in the season, Colorado will continue to look for their footing and fight hard through conference competition.
"Another heartbreaker for our team today," head coach Anthony Pham said. "Tough times don't last, tough people do and we will continue to respond and be the resilient group that we are. Two more opportunities coming next week and we will be ready for them."
The Buffaloes continued to show their dominance in doubles competition, capturing their tenth doubles point of the dual season. Ema Bubalo and Pia Rebec started the show downing Barskdale and Horwood, 6-0, and after a loss at No. 2, Anya Nelson and Rixt van der Werff capped it off with their 6-4 win to move the Buffs into singles competition on top.
Singles competition kept everyone on their toes as the Buffs and Utes kept the match points close, trading wins till the very end.
In the beginning, Utah was able to put two straight wins on the board, setting ahead 2-1. Rebec changed that quickly at No. 5, recording her straight-set victory over Valletta, getting the Buffs back on track to keep close to the Utes.
Rebec's win was soon followed by another Utah win at No. 2 with Kidd downing Van der Werff, but this didn't stop the Buffaloes as Alexin continued her fight at the No. 6 spot, winning her second-set tiebreaker, moving the Buffs to match Utah at 3-3 overall.
In the end, it was down to Ema Bubalo at No. 4 to finish the day. Bubalo fought all the way to the third but fell just short of a victory against Valletta.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Colorado got the day's first win quickly in doubles after Ema Bubalo and Pia Rebec put together their first complete match as a pair winning 6-0 over Kaila Barksdale and Samantha Horwood at No. 3 doubles.
The next two matches played out nearly the same, but the team that finished on top differed. The first to wrap up was the No. 2 doubles match between Alexin and Stanojevic and Emma Kamper and Hayley Roberts. Alexin and
Stanojevic took a 4-2 lead early but lost the next four games, giving Utah a 6-4 win.
Anya Nelson and Van der Werff concluded the doubles action, trailing 4-2 to Sara Akid and Emma Valletta. Like in the previous match, they took the next four games to win the match and the doubles point 6-4.
Moving to singles play, Utah earned its first win at No. 1 singles. Kamper defeated Stanojevic 6-1, 6-4 to tie the match 1-1.
After a slow start at No. 3 singles, Betina Tokac began to make a comeback in the first set against Barksdale, tying the set 5-5. Barksdale followed that by rattling off eight straight games to win the first set 7-5 and the second set 6-0, giving Utah a 2-1 lead.
Needing a win to slow the Utah momentum, Rebec delivered with a convincing 6-2 first set win over Dylan Lolofie. Rebec kept the pace up in the second set, getting out to a 5-2 lead, but Lolofie countered, making her work before finishing it with a 6-4 victory, tying the match 2-2.
Van der Werff played just her second career match at No. 2 singles across the court from Akid, who controlled the first set, winning 6-3 and much of the early second set with a 4-2 lead. A strong push from Van der Werff put her ahead 6-5, closing in on forcing a third set. Akid forced a set tiebreaker by winning the following game. Akid did just enough in the tiebreaker to finish the match, winning 7-6 (5).
With Utah leading the match 3-2, Colorado needed the last two matches, and they got the first at No. 6 singles from Alexin. She defeated Horwood in straight sets, including a second set tiebreaker, 6-4, 7-6 (5).
Finishing the day, Ema Bubalo brought her match against Emma Valletta to the final set, after coming back in the second and winning 7-5. Throughout the third set, the two stayed neck in neck, climbing in points one after the other. Valetta then found a 5-4 lead, and finished the match capturing her final game point, 6-4.
UP NEXT
Colorado will stay on the road next week and travel to Texas, starting with Baylor on March 14 and then TCU on March 16.
RESULTS
Utah 4, Colorado 3
March 8, 2025
Salt Lake City, Utah (George S. Eccles Tennis Center)
Doubles
- Anya Neslon/Rixt van der Werff (CU) def. Sara Akid/Emma Valletta (UTAH) 6-4
- Emma Kamper/Hayley Roberts (UTAH) def. Lera Alexin/Mila Stanojevic (CU) 6-4
- Ema Bubalo/Pia Rebec (CU) def. Kaila Barksdale/Samantha Horwood (UTAH) 6-0
Singles
- Emma Kamper (UTAH) def. Mila Stanojevic (CU) 6-1, 6-4
- Sara Akid (UTAH) def. Rixt van der Werff (CU) 6-3, 7-6 (5)
- Kaila Barksdale (UTAH) def. Betina Tokac (CU) 7-5, 6-0
- Emma Valletta (UTAH) def. Ema Bubalo (CU) 6-4, 5-7, 6-4
- Pia Rebec (CU) def. Dylan Lolofie (UTAH) 6-2, 6-4
- Lera Alexin (CU) def. Samantha Horwood (UTAH) 6-4, 7-6 (5)
NOTES
Anya Nelson recorded her 40th career individual doubles victory.
Players Mentioned
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