SAN DIEGO, Calif. – University of Denver women's tennis players Marley Lambert and Louise Wikander saw play across three matches on the opening day of the 2025 ITA Conference Masters Championships at the Barnes Tennis Center on Thursday.
 
Lambert won her opening singles match in straight sets before falling to the No. 8 seed later in the afternoon. She then played in doubles with Wikander as the sun went down, winning the first set off the No. 6 seed but coming up short in a 10-point match tiebreak.
 
In her round of 32 match against Tarleton State's Maria Castano, Lambert had the opportunity to serve for the first set up 5-4 but was broken on a double fault, though she regrouped to hold a mini-break lead at the changeover for the tiebreak and was able to put it away, 7-4. After being broken in the opening game of the second set, she got things back on serve and won the final three games to seal the win.
 
After a break, Lambert returned to the singles court to take on the No. 2 seed Eugenia Zozaya Menendez from USC. The players exchanged breaks in consecutive games midway through the first set before Zozaya Menendez broke once more and consolidated late for a 6-4 win. Despite going down a couple breaks in the second, Lambert kept battling and pulled one back midway through the set but was unable to complete the comeback.

Lambert played for a third time on the day to team up with Wikander for the doubles round of 32 at 4 p.m. PT/5 p.m. MT. The DU duo traded breaks midway through the first set before ending up in a tiebreak. The first half of the breaker was a back-and-forth affair before Lambert/Wikander went 4-1 after the changeover to take the opening set.

A couple early breaks in the second set proved to be too much for Lambert/Wikander, sending the match to a third-set breaker to decide things. The Pioneers tried to mount a late comeback but could not overcome a slow start, ultimately losing the tiebreaker, 5-10.
 
Lambert/Wikander will return to the court in the consolation doubles bracket on Friday morning.
 
The 2025 ITA Conference Masters Championships continues on Friday with the singles quarterfinals and doubles round of 16 and quarterfinals, plus consolation matches. The University of Denver women's tennis team will also have seven student-athletes in action at the H-E-B Invitational, hosted by Baylor, which begins on Friday.
 
THURSDAY'S RESULTS
Round of 32: Marley Lambert def. Maria Castano (Tarleton State): 7-6(4) 6-3
Round of 16: [8] Eugenia Zozaya Menendez (USC) def. Marley Lambert: 6-4 6-2
Round of 32: (6) Nugent/Owen (Xavier) def. Lambert/Wikander: 6-7(3) 6-3 [10-5]
 
FRIDAY'S SCHEDULE
C-Round of 16-Q: Lambert/Wikander vs. Greyling/Ovcharova (Youngstown State)