LARAMIE, Wyo. (April 20, 2019) – The Wyoming tennis team dropped a tough 4-2 match against the Colorado State Rams on Saturday afternoon.  The Cowgirls close out the regular season with a dual record of 13-7 and 3-2 in league play. 
 
"In doubles, we didn't play our style. We had it where we wanted to be but didn't execute. I don't know if we didn't believe in what was our game plan and it showed in the result," head coach Dean Clower said. "CSU hit some good shots and they have good players. Somedays it just doesn't go your way. The good thing is today isn't the conference tournament. We will be ready to go and feel like we have as good a shot as anyone. We have to clean up some things, go over video and I feel like we have a chance."
 
In doubles against the Rams, freshmen Mihaela Kaftanova and Ida Krause opened up the day with a 6-3 loss against Nancy Ghanem and Riley Reeves at the number two spot.  Seniors Elisa Koonik and Tessa van Der Ploeg responded with a 6-4 win over Stella Cliffe and Emily Kolbow, Unfortunately, junior Ana Royo and freshman Maria Oreshkina dropped their match 6-4 against Emily Luetschwager and Priscilla Palermo to give CSU the opening point.
 
van Der Ploeg gave Wyoming its first point of the day with her straight set win, 6-4, 6-1, against Luetschwager. The Rams came back at the No. 6 spot with Alyssa Grijalva earning a two-set win, 6-4, 6-2, over Kaftanova, but Koonik tied it up at two all with her win, 6-4, 6-4, against Cliffe. At the number five spot, Kolbow needed three sets to beat UW's Ana Fernandez, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, while the Rams clinched the match with Ghanem beating Oreshkina, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3. The match between Royo and Palermo wasn't finished.
 
Next up for the Cowgirls will be the 2019 Mountain West Championships. It is scheduled to begin on Wednesday with first round matches in San Diego.
 
Tennis Match Results
Colorado State vs Wyoming Cowgirls
Apr 20, 2019 at Laramie, Wyo.
(UW Tennis Complex)
 
Colorado State 4, Wyoming Cowgirls 2
Singles competition
1. Tessa van Der Ploeg (WY) def. LUETSCHWAGER, Emily (CS) 6-4, 6-1
2. Elisa Koonik (WY) def. CLIFFE, Stella (CS) 6-4, 6-4
3. GHANEM, Nancy (CS) def. Maria Oreshkina (WY) 2-6, 6-2, 6-3
4. Ana Royo (WY) vs. PALERMO, Priscilla (CS) 2-6, 6-2, 4-5, unfinished
5. KOLBOW, Emily (CS) def. Ana Fernandez (WY) 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
6. GRIJALVA, Alyssa (CS) def. Mihaela Kaftanova (WY) 6-4, 6-2
 
Doubles competition
1. Elisa Koonik/Tessa van Der Ploeg (WY) def. CLIFFE, Stella/KOLBOW, Emily (CS) 6-4
2. GHANEM, Nancy/REEVES, Riley (CS) def. Mihaela Kaftanova/Ida Krause (WY) 6-3
3. LUETSCHWAGER, Emily/PALERMO, Priscilla (CS) def. Maria Oreshkina/Ana Royo (WY) 6-4
 
Match Notes:
Colorado State 10-9, 2-4 MW
Wyoming Cowgirls 13-7, 3-2 MW
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (1,6,2,5,3)