Buffaloes Battle Hard but Fall Short Against BYU
In an intense showdown at the Boulder Meadows Club, the No. 56 Colorado Buffaloes tennis team faced off against No.
53 BYU, ultimately falling 4-2. Despite the loss, the Buffaloes showcased resilience and determination throughout the match.
Head coach Anthony Pham reflected on the day, saying, "It was a close, tough match. Our group is resilient, and we dealt with tricky conditions today.
The warmth played a role, but both teams faced it. We just came up a little short."
The Buffaloes now hold a 10-6 overall record and a 2-4 mark in the Big 12, while BYU improves to 14-4 overall and 3-3 in conference play.
Doubles Highlights
Colorado started strong by securing the doubles point with victories at the No. 2 and No. 3 positions. Aya El Sayed teamed up with freshman Yukiko Ikedo, marking Ikedo's first career Big 12 match and victory. "Yuki got thrown into doubles and helped decide that point, so I was proud of her for that," Pham noted.
Ema Bubalo and Anya Nelson also impressed with a comeback win at the No. 3 spot, overcoming a 5-3 deficit to triumph 7-5.
Singles Showdown
In singles play, Rixt van der Werff delivered a standout performance, claiming her 10th career dual victory in straight sets at No. 2.
"Rixt was playing a good player," Pham said. "She managed it well, and I'm proud of her."
BYU evened the score with a win at No. 3, as Sue Yan Tan defeated Bubalo in straight sets. The Cougars then took the lead with victories at the top spots, despite a strong effort from El Sayed and Heidi Crncan.
The match concluded with Yuyun Chen's victory over Lera Alexin at No. 4, sealing the 4-2 win for BYU. Alexin's fightback from 4-0 down to lead 5-4 was a testament to her tenacity, even in defeat.
Anya Nelson's match against Sage Bergeson went unfinished, with Nelson taking the first set before dropping the second in a tiebreaker.
Looking Ahead
The Buffaloes will continue their home stand on Saturday against No. 44 Utah at the Meadows Club.
Fans can catch all the action starting at 1 p.m. MT.
Match Results
Doubles
- Levelston/Mohamed (BYU) def.
Alexin/Van der Werff (CU), 6-4
- El Sayed/Ikedo (CU) def.
Kovick/Chen (BYU), 7-5
- Bubalo/Nelson (CU) def.
Lewis/Tan (BYU), 7-5
Singles
- Levelston (BYU) def.
El Sayed (CU), 6-2, 6-4
- Van der Werff (CU) def.
Kovick (BYU), 6-4, 6-3
- Tan (BYU) def.
Bubalo (CU), 6-1, 7-6 (2)
- Chen (BYU) def.
Alexin (CU), 7-5, 7-5
- Bergeson (BYU) vs.
Nelson (CU), 2-6, 7-6 (3), 1-0, unf.
- Mohamed (BYU) def.
Crncan (CU), 7-5, 6-4
Notes
Colorado has achieved over 100 singles victories this season, with Bubalo and Nelson securing their seventh Big 12 win as a pair. El Sayed and Ikedo celebrated their first victory together, marking a promising start to their partnership. Van der Werff continues to shine with her 10th career dual victory.