LARAMIE, Wyo. – The University of Colorado tennis team’s three-match winning streak against the University of Wyoming was cut short Thursday with a 4-3 loss at the UW Indoor Tennis Complex.


“Hats off to Wyoming, they played a great match,” said CU head coach Nicole Kenneally. “They’re one of the top returning teams in our region. We had some great performances in our lineup today, but unfortunately, we couldn’t put ourselves in contention in some of them. If we are to continue to have success, we are going to have to have everybody fully engaged, with all nine positions, digging, diving and scoring in every match. We’ve come a long way, but there’s still room to grow. I expect our players to rise to the occasion and to rise to the challenge and to continue to dig deeper. We’ve done a great job so far this year, and we look forward to our matches coming up.”

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The Buffaloes fall to 5-4 in dual play, holding a 3-1 series lead over the Cowgirls. All of the Buffs’ losses this spring have been tight 4-3 decisions. Wyoming improves to 5-3 this spring.

Colorado fought down to the last matches in both doubles and singles, but couldn’t claim the overall victory. The No. 1 and 2 doubles teams came just shy of extending their winning streaks and earning the first point of the match. Julyette Steur and Erin Sanders fell in a tiebreaker, while Carla Manzi Tenorio and Winde Janssens were handed their first defeat in nine tries in close 8-6 loss (their smallest margin in either victory or defeat this season).

Three Buffs found success in individual play, in what coach Kenneally said were stellar performances for the top of the lineup. All of the victorious Buffs have dropped three or fewer matches this spring, and each have at least 11 wins this season.

“If you look at Wyoming’s top performers’ records and rankings, their No. 1 is top four or five in our region,” Kenneally said. “I think it was the best win of Julyette’s career.”

Steur extended a three-match winning streak and improved her overall season record to 12-6 with a 6-4, 7-5 win over Veronica Popovici. All of Steur’s victories this spring have been in straight sets.

Janssens and Manzi Tenorio both fought back after dropping the first set. The two have now fought off first set deficits a team-high five times each.

Janssens has won five matches in a row, and seven of eight this spring. After dropping the first set, she came back with a vengeance, dropping just four games in the remainder of the match, including battling through a game that saw an amazing 16 deuces.

Manzi Tenorio had what Kenneally described as a marathon (something she would like the rest of the lineup to find success in as well) of a match. Manzi Tenorio eased through the second 6-1 and won the third set tiebreaker (though her 7-4 win was a breeze compared to her 16-14 victory on Monday).

The Buffs return to Boulder for a three-match home-stand. They end the week against No. 73 Princeton at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 2. CU begins Pac-12 Conference play against Arizona at 11 a.m. on Friday, March 8 and continues against Arizona State at 10 a.m. on Sunday, March 10. Stay tuned to CUBuffs.com for location updates.

Wyoming 4, Colorado 3
UW (5-3), CU (5-4)
Thursday, Feb. 28 UW Indoor Tennis Complex
Laramie, Wyo. 

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