SAN DIEGO, California – University of Denver women's tennis team fifth-year student Taylor Melville fell in the round of 16 of the 2022 ITA National Fall Championships to No. 1-seeded Fiona Crawley of North Carolina on Thursday.
 
Melville became the first DU player to advance to the round of 16 of the tournament since 2017 but dropped the match 6-3 6-0, her first lost of the 2022 fall season.
 
After going down an early break in the first set, Melville forced the set back even at 2-2 but gave the break back in the next game after an unlucky net cord from Crawley snuck over to Melville's side of the court. With Crawley serving for the set at 5-2, Melville set up a 15-40 lead with a return winner and earned the break off an unforced error from Crawley. The No. 1 seed would go on to break one more time to win the set 6-3.
 
Despite great defense in several rallies, double faults and forehand errors early in Melville's service games led to a 6-0 second set for Crawley. In total, Melville converted both of her break point opportunities and won more than half of the second-serve return points she faced.
 
The University of Denver women's tennis team will host the Colorado Cup with Air Force, Colorado and Colorado State on November 4-6 at Denver Tennis Park, concluding the team's fall schedule.
 
Visit DenverPioneers.com for complete coverage of all 18 of DU's NCAA Division I sports
Like Denver Pioneers and Denver Women's Tennis on Facebook
Follow @DU_Pioneers and @DU_WTennis on Twitter
Follow @DenverPioneers and @DU_WTennis on Instagram