SAN DIEGO – The University of Denver women's tennis team (1-5, 0-0 Summit) came up short in a 1-6 loss at San Diego on Saturday morning.
Denver made things competitive in doubles and put up strong efforts in singles but was only able to come away with a win at No. 3 singles.
Doubles:
The battle for the doubles point proved to be tight with all three teams grabbing late breaks. Denver senior
Andrea Burguete Beltran and junior
Marley Lambert game back from an early break down but surrendered another break late to fall to the No. 24-ranked team of de las Heras/Evans, 4-6.
Junior
Hana Bečirovič Novak and freshman
Natálie Cinková followed a similar pattern, trading breaks early before giving up their serve again late to see USD take the day's opening point.
At No. 2 doubles, juniors
Claudia Martinez de Velasco and
Louise Wikander rallied from a 0-2 deficit to coming within one game of victory at 5-3. They did not have a chance to secure the win as the doubles point was clinched before their match could finish.
Singles:
San Diego clinched the dual at 4-0 with wins at Nos. 5, 4 and 1 singles, all in straight sets. The remaining three matches also ended in two sets but proved to be tighter contests.
Lambert led the way for DU in the No. 3 spot, starting hot in the first set with a quick break that she stretched to a 5-2 lead before closing it out at 6-3. The second set stayed tight throughout before Lambert gained another critical break lead to win it, 7-5.
At No. 2 singles, Wikander held a break advantage to begin but was unable to hold onto the lead. She traded breaks in the middle of the second set but kept things on serve until giving up a break in the 11
th game.
Cinková gave her opponent a fight in both sets, rallying from a break down to level the first set at 4-4 before dropping the next two games. She was broken in her first service game of the second set before winning four straight games to go up 4-2. USD evened up things at 4-4 and then broke once more late to seal it at 7-5.
Up Next:
The University of Denver women's tennis team finishes its season-opening seven-match road trip on Sunday, February 9, when it plays at San Diego State. Play is set to begin at 10 a.m. PT/11 a.m. MT.
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