LARAMIE, Wyo. (Sept. 20, 2019) – It was an exciting day of tennis at the Wyoming Tennis Complex Friday as the Cowgirls kicked off their home tournament, the Wyoming Invite. All four Wyoming doubles teams picked up wins to open their tournaments while five individuals won their opening singles matches.
"I think doubles we're really starting to pick things up, the progression is there," said head coach Dean Clower.
"We're getting close to playing Cowgirl Tennis. It's not perfect, but we're getting close."
Ana Royo barely broke a sweat Friday as she didn't lose a game in her matchup against Montana State's Mirte Van Baelen, winning 6-0 and 6-0. Royo was also a part of a duo with Ana Fernandez, which won their doubles matchup 6-3 over Air Force's Shailla Alda and Mebeli Becerra.
Two doubles teams picked up convincing 6-1 wins Friday as the teams of Clara Mansart and Ida Krause and Zarah Mughal and Maria Oreshkina both picked up wins. Both Mansart and Mughal won their first singles matches of the tournament as well. Mansart picked up a nice 6-4, 6-2 win over MSU's Daphne Haverkamp. Mughal was able to hang on for a thrilling 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 win over Colorado State's Riley Reeves. Mughal won the third-set tiebreaker 7-3 to earn the win.
Ida Krause also snagged a three-set win on the evening as she rallied to defeat Alex Kuo of Air Force, 4-6, 6-3 and 6-3. Oleksandra Balaba won her singles match 6-3 and 6-4 over Emma Corwin of Colorado State. Balaba was joined in her doubles match by Mihaela Kaftanova, as they won a back-and-forth affair, 6-4 over Fistram and Van Baelen of Montana State.
Fernandez, Kaftanova and Oreshkina all dropped their singles matches to begin the tournament. Fernandez was bested, 6-4 and 6-4 by South Dakota's Jana Lazarevic. Kaftanova was defeated 6-4 and 6-4 by AFA's Courtney Swift. Oreskina fell 6-4 and 6-4 to Central Oklahoma's Isabella Dunlap.
Day two of the three-day tournament begins tomorrow at 9 a.m.
"I'm looking for a little more structure tomorrow," said Clower.
"The girls play hard, they get after it. Sometimes we play our style and then other times we act like freshmen. However, I think that we are on the right path here, I really believe in this team."
-WYO-
