LARAMIE, Wyo. (March 30, 2019) – The Wyoming tennis team finished up the weekend with tough 5-2 loss against the Air Force Falcons (20-2 overall, 2-0 in MW) on Saturday afternoon.  The Cowgirls dual record is now 11-6 overall and 1-1 in league. 
 
"We lost a battle today. Air Force is a good team, well-coached, play hard and same thing with us," head coach Dean Clower. "We lost a tight one. We didn't play great in doubles but in singles we showed some grit in those matches. We can learn a lot from today and I would rather lose now than in the conference tournament."  
 
In doubles, seniors Elisa Koonik and Tessa van Der Ploeg suffered a 6-0 defeat against TJ Fumagalli and Kristin Kerrigan at No. 1 doubles, while the No. 3 team of Mihaela Kaftanova and Ida Krause lost 6-3 against Ashleigh Harvey and Meredith Jones to clinch the point for the Falcons. Wyoming junior Ana Royo and freshman Maria Oreshkina were down 5-4 against Elizabeth Barnickel and Nadeen Lieberman at the No 2 spot which wasn't completed.  
 
The Falcons extended the lead as Kerrigan defeated Royo at the No. 4 spot, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4. Wyoming got on the board at the No. 2 position with a 2-6, 6-1, 6-1 win by Koonik over Barnickel. The Cowgirls evened it up at two all with another three set win, 6-4, 5-7, 6-3, by Oreshkina over the Falcons' Jones. At the No. 1 position, UW's van Der Ploeg dropped a tough one, 5-7, 7-5, 3-6, while Air Force clinched the match with a straight set win, 6-3, 6-1, by Lieberman over Kaftanova. In the final match of the day, Harvey defeated Fernandez in three sets, 7-6 (7-3), 3-6, 1-0 (10-7).
 
The Cowgirls will return to action on Friday, April 12 against the Utah State Aggies. The match is set for 11 a.m. in Logan.
 
Tennis Match Results
Air Force Falcons vs Wyoming Cowgirls
Mar 30, 2019 at Laramie, Wyo.
(UW Indoor Tennis Courts)
 
Air Force Falcons 5, Wyoming Cowgirls 2
Singles competition
1. TJ Fumagalli (AF) def. Tessa van Der Ploeg (WY) 7-5, 5-7, 6-3
2. Elisa Koonik (WY) def. Elizabeth Barnickel (AF) 2-6, 6-1, 6-4
3. Maria Oreshkina (WY) def. Meredith Jones (AF) 6-4, 5-7, 6-3
4. Kristin Kerrigan (AF) def. Ana Royo (WY) 7-6 (7-5), 6-4
5. Ashleigh Harvey (AF) def. Ana Fernandez (WY) 7-6 (7-3), 3-6, 1-0 (10-7)
6. Nadeen Lieberman (AF) def. Mihaela Kaftanova (WY) 6-3, 6-1
 
Doubles competition
1. TJ Fumagalli/Kristin Kerrigan (AF) def. Elisa Koonik/Tessa van Der Ploeg (WY) 6-0
2. Maria Oreshkina/Ana Royo (WY) vs. Ashleigh Harvey/Meredith Jones (AF) 4-5, unfinished
3. Elizabeth Barnickel/Nadeen Lieberman (AF) def. Mihaela Kaftanova/Ida Krause (WY) 6-3
 
Match Notes:
Air Force Falcons 20-1, 2-0 MW
Wyoming Cowgirls 11-6, 1-1 MW
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (4,2,3,1,6,5)