Colorado University Athletics
Friday, March 6
Boulder, CO
6 p.m.
Colorado
3
vs
4
Kansas State
Tennis Buffs Fall to Wildcats
March 06, 2026 | Tennis
Colorado falls short in conference home opener against Kansas State, 4-3.
BOULDER – The Colorado Buffaloes tennis team fought down to the last match against Kansas State Friday night, falling just short, 4-3, in the Big 12 home opener.
Colorado now holds a 9-4 record in dual competition, and is 1-2 in Big 12 play. The Wildcats improve to 5-4 this season, and 2-1 in conference competition.
"Credit to K-State," said head coach Anthony Pham. "We gave ourselves a chance tonight. I've said it before, depth is a strength of this team, and we needed it tonight. Every match in the Big 12 is like this. I told the team; we have to keep competing and learn quickly. The worst thing you can do is lose and not learn from it, that's the biggest message to the team."
In doubles play, Colorado was able to notch a win at No. 2 from Lera Alexin and Rixt van der Werff, extending their win streak to 11, and improving to an 8-0 dual record.
The Buffs were able to find three wins in singles play, despite the match win from the Wildcats.
A win from Alexin opened singles play, and then two more from van der Werff and Aya El Sayed kept Colorado in the fight throughout the night.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The first doubles victory of the night came at No. 1, despite a fight from El Sayed and Pia Rebec. The pair fell, 6-1, to the ranked Wildcats duo, No. 45 Maralgoo Chogsomjav and Martaa Chogsomjav.
To even the playing field, Lera Alexin and Rixt van der Werff picked up their eighth victory as a pair this dual season, defeating Varvara Bernovich and Diana Smokinska, 6-3.
Just moments after the win at No. 2, Ema Bubalo and Anya Nelson fell in the final spot, 6-4, against Aleksandra Kyselova and Zhanel Rustemova to give Kansas State the doubles match.
The Buffs found the first singles victory of the night from Lera Alexin at No. 4. Alexin downed Diana Smolinska in match 6-2 straight sets, tying the team score at 1-1.
The Wildcats found a brief upper hand at No. 3, with Aleksandra Kyselova downing Pia Rebec in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1, making the team score 2-1 in favor of Kansas State.
The lead didn't stick for long, as the Buffs came back at No. 2 courtesy Rixt van der Werff. Van der Werff downed Martaa Chogsomjav, 6-3, 6-2, to make it a tie game, 2-2.
The battle continued as the WIldcats notched another win at No. 5. Anya Nelson fought hard, but fell in two sets to Varvara Bernovich, 6-4, 6-3.
In a tedious three set battle, El Sayed kept the Buffs in the match as she found a win at the top spot against Maralgoo Chogsomjav, despite a 7-6 loss in the first set. El Sayed found the final sets, 6-2, 6-3, to even out the team score once again, 3-3.
It came down to the last court at No. 6, with Heidi Crncan and Zhanel Rustemova. Rustemova took the match in two sets, 6-3, 6-4, giving the Wildcats the 4-3 finale.
"We're disappointed," said Pham, "but not disappointed in the fight and how we competed. Heidi battled, this is her first dual match in the Big 12, it's a tough position to be in as a freshman, but she'll grow from it."
UP NEXT
Colorado will finish the weekend with a second home conference match up against No. 24 Oklahoma State on Sunday. Competition will begin at 10:30 a.m. (MT) at the Meadows Club, more information and results can be found @cubuffstennis.
RESULTS
Doubles
Singles
NOTES
Colorado now holds a 9-4 record in dual competition, and is 1-2 in Big 12 play. The Wildcats improve to 5-4 this season, and 2-1 in conference competition.
"Credit to K-State," said head coach Anthony Pham. "We gave ourselves a chance tonight. I've said it before, depth is a strength of this team, and we needed it tonight. Every match in the Big 12 is like this. I told the team; we have to keep competing and learn quickly. The worst thing you can do is lose and not learn from it, that's the biggest message to the team."
In doubles play, Colorado was able to notch a win at No. 2 from Lera Alexin and Rixt van der Werff, extending their win streak to 11, and improving to an 8-0 dual record.
The Buffs were able to find three wins in singles play, despite the match win from the Wildcats.
A win from Alexin opened singles play, and then two more from van der Werff and Aya El Sayed kept Colorado in the fight throughout the night.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The first doubles victory of the night came at No. 1, despite a fight from El Sayed and Pia Rebec. The pair fell, 6-1, to the ranked Wildcats duo, No. 45 Maralgoo Chogsomjav and Martaa Chogsomjav.
To even the playing field, Lera Alexin and Rixt van der Werff picked up their eighth victory as a pair this dual season, defeating Varvara Bernovich and Diana Smokinska, 6-3.
Just moments after the win at No. 2, Ema Bubalo and Anya Nelson fell in the final spot, 6-4, against Aleksandra Kyselova and Zhanel Rustemova to give Kansas State the doubles match.
The Buffs found the first singles victory of the night from Lera Alexin at No. 4. Alexin downed Diana Smolinska in match 6-2 straight sets, tying the team score at 1-1.
The Wildcats found a brief upper hand at No. 3, with Aleksandra Kyselova downing Pia Rebec in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1, making the team score 2-1 in favor of Kansas State.
The lead didn't stick for long, as the Buffs came back at No. 2 courtesy Rixt van der Werff. Van der Werff downed Martaa Chogsomjav, 6-3, 6-2, to make it a tie game, 2-2.
The battle continued as the WIldcats notched another win at No. 5. Anya Nelson fought hard, but fell in two sets to Varvara Bernovich, 6-4, 6-3.
In a tedious three set battle, El Sayed kept the Buffs in the match as she found a win at the top spot against Maralgoo Chogsomjav, despite a 7-6 loss in the first set. El Sayed found the final sets, 6-2, 6-3, to even out the team score once again, 3-3.
It came down to the last court at No. 6, with Heidi Crncan and Zhanel Rustemova. Rustemova took the match in two sets, 6-3, 6-4, giving the Wildcats the 4-3 finale.
"We're disappointed," said Pham, "but not disappointed in the fight and how we competed. Heidi battled, this is her first dual match in the Big 12, it's a tough position to be in as a freshman, but she'll grow from it."
UP NEXT
Colorado will finish the weekend with a second home conference match up against No. 24 Oklahoma State on Sunday. Competition will begin at 10:30 a.m. (MT) at the Meadows Club, more information and results can be found @cubuffstennis.
RESULTS
Doubles
- No. 45 Maralgoo Chogsomjav/Martaa Chogsomjav (KSU) def. Aya El Sayed/Pia Rebec (CU), 6-1
- Lera Alexin/Rixt van der Werff (CU) def. Varvara Bernovich/Diana Smokinska (KSU), 6-3
- Aleksandra Kyselova/Zhanel Rustemova (KSU) def. Ema Bubalo/Anya Nelson (CU), 6-4
Singles
- Aya El Sayed (CU) def. Maralgoo Chogsomjav (KSU), 6-7 (8-10), 6-2, 6-3
- Rixt van der Werff (CU) def. Martaa Chogsomjav (KSU), 6-3, 6-2
- Aleksandra Kyselova (KSU) def. Pia Rebec (CU), 6-4, 6-1
- Lera Alexin (CU) def. Diana Smolinska (KSU), 6-2, 6-2
- Varvara Bernovich (KSU) def. Anya Nelson (CU), 6-4, 6-3
- Zhanel Rustemova (KSU) def. Heidi Crncan (CU), 6-3, 6-4
NOTES
- The Buffs hold over 100 career dual victories in singles play as a team, and over 40 this season.
- Alexin and van der Werff move to an undefeated eight wins in dual competition this season, and a perfect 3-0 in Big 12 play.
- Alexin notched her 15th singles victory this season, and 10th in dual competition. She has won seven of her last eight matchups.
- Van der Werff notched her first Big 12 victory this season, after going unfinished in the first two conference matches.
- El Sayed found her second Big 12 single victory tonight, extending her career conference record to 9-8.
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
1,2,3
#1 Singles Match
123
Maralgoo Chogsomjav / 0 [KSU]
723
666
#2 Singles Match
12
Martaa Chogsomjav / 0 [KSU]
32
66
#3 Singles Match
12
Sasha Kyselova / 0 [KSU]
66
41
#4 Singles Match
12
Diana Smolinska / 0 [KSU]
22
66
#5 Singles Match
12
Varvara Bernovich / 0 [KSU]
66
43
#6 Singles Match
12
Chanel Rustemova / 0 [KSU]
66
34
Order of Finish:
4,3,2,5,1,6
Players Mentioned
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