Women’s Tennis Pushes Colorado to the Brink, Falls 4-3 in Dual Opener

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – The Air Force Women's Tennis team had a lot to prove on Friday in its season opener against Colorado.

Despite leaving Cadet Gym with a 4-3 loss, the Falcons made their statement, pushing a 2-0 lead early in the contest and picking up first-set wins on three courts in singles play to threaten a team win. Despite the early advantage, Colorado endured, earning wins on singles courts on lines 1-3, before clinching the overall victory on line six.

Air Force started out with a 1-0 lead early on in the match, clinching their first doubles point of the season on lines three and one, in order. Freshman duo Sofia Mavor/Shivaani Selvan struck first, earning a 6-1 victory over CU's Nelson/Bubalo, who were Sweet 16 contenders in this season's fall NCAA Tournament and finished 11-6 last season playing in the Pac 12. Nadia Kojonroj and Arianna Van Houweling, facing Pia Rebec/Lera Alexin on the top doubles court, secured the doubles point on four-straight games to close the set, winning their court 6-1. On line two, Alexis Odom/Maya Michalski were knotted at 4-all with CU's Aya El Sayed/Mila Stanojevic when the Falcons clinched doubles.

The Falcons' fast start was bolstered by a retirement on court four; Freshman Sofia Mavor led Bubalo, 5-3, when Bubalo was forced to abandon the match, leaving the Falcons with a 2-0 advantage, but Colorado's relative experience took over, as the top three courts – each touting a senior or fifth-year player – took control of their respective courts. After Van Houweling fell in straight sets to senior Betina Tokac on court three, Kojonroj and Odom both fell in three-set battles after claiming their first sets against El Sayed/Stanojevic, respectively, giving Colorado a 3-2 lead.

Sophomore Giovanna Sanchirico evened the tally, taking down Alexin in straight sets to earn her first win of the dual season, leaving the match up to newcomer Selvan on court five, sophomore Rebec. Selvan, in the first dual match of her career, battled to a tiebreak in her first set and managed to keep the second close, but ultimately fell in straight sets, as Alexin clinched the 4-3 victory for the Buffs.

Head Coach Taylor Hollander's first Impressions of Friday Night:
"Today's match was a thrilling battle. While the result didn't go our way, but I am incredibly proud of the team's effort from start to finish. They showed resilience, stuck to the process, and executed what we've been working on in practice. In those challenging moments, we need to trust in our preparation and believe that we have what it takes to be in control of the match. This was a great start to the season, and I know we're moving in the right direction."

Up Next:
Air Force Women's Tennis is back in action at Cadet Gym on Saturday, Jan. 25, hosting a doubleheader with Montana (9 a.m.) and Metro State (5 p.m.).

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