COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (April 2, 2021) – The Wyoming tennis team dropped a Friday morning match on the road, losing at Air Force, 4-2. The Cowgirls won a pair of singles matches on the day.
The Cowgirls' (6-6, 0-2 MW) two victories came at the No. 4 and 5 singles positions as Lucia Malinak and Noesjka Brink picked up wins, respectively at those spots. Malinak defeated Air Force's Shailla Alda in straight sets, 6-4 and 6-4. While at the fifth position, Brink made quick work of Mebeli Becerra, 6-1 and 6-1. The win was Brink's fourth straight and improves her record to 7-2 in singles play this spring.
The match was decided at the top of singles play, as Wyoming lost three, three-set matches at the No. 1 through 3 spots Friday. AFA's Meredith Jones defeated Maria Oreshkina at No. 1, 7-5, 3-6 and 7-5. At the second spot, Sophie Zehender's five-match winning streak was snapped as she lost to Sydney Fitch, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 and at the third spot, Ana Fernandez was bested by Alex Kuo, 2-6, 6-1 and 7-6 (7-6).
In doubles play, the team of Brink and Oreshkina won at the No. 1 doubles spot, 6-4. The Falcons took the doubles point with wins at No. 2 and No. 3. Fernandez and Zehender's five-match streak as partners was broken in a 6-4 loss at the second spot.
Air Force improved to 10-3 overall and 2-1 in the Mountain West with the win Friday. The Cowgirls will look to bounce back in short order as they face New Mexico Saturday at 10 a.m., at the Air Force Academy.
Wyoming at Air Force
4/2/21 at USAF Academy, Colo.
Wyoming 2, Air Force 4
Doubles competition
1. Noesjka Brink/Maria Oreshkina (WYO) def. Meredith Jones/Ksenia Vasilyev (AF) 6-4
2. Alex Kuo/Isabella Flodin (AF) def. Ana Fernandez/Sophie Zehender (WYO) 6-4
3. Sydney Fitch/Mebeli Becerra (AF) def. Mihaela Kaftanova/Ida Krause (WYO) 6-4
Singles competition
1. Jones (AF) def. Oreshkina (WYO) 7-5, 3-6, 7-5
2. Fitch (AF) def. Zehender (WYO) 4-6, 6-4, 6-1
3. Kuo (AF) def. Fernandez (WYO) 2-6, 6-1 and 7-6 (7-6)
4. Lucia Malinak (WYO) def. Shailla Alda (AF) 6-4, 6-4
5. Brink (WYO) def. Becerra (AF) 6-1, 6-1
6. Hailey Stelse (AF) vs. Krause (WYO) unfinished
-WYO-
