DENVER – The MSU Denver women's tennis team turned things around and they took care of business in two matches Friday, defeating both CSU-Pueblo and Division I Nebraska-Omaha impressively.
After Friday's matches, the No. 10 regionally ranked Roadrunners have improved to 6-9 on the season. They beat CSU-Pueblo 7-0 and beat Nebraska-Omaha 4-1.
The women started their doubleheader off against CSU-Pueblo, and they played superb tennis to start the day.
"We took care of business against CSU-Pueblo," MSU Denver coach
Josh Graetz said. "I thought we maintained our focus and kept our level."
The Roadrunners didn't lose more than two games total in any of the nine matches on the morning, and lost only nine games total.
Lilly Stienemeier and
Marie Cool both won singles matches without dropping a game going 6-0, 6-0.
Kayla Myburgh earned a victory at No. 6 singles. She executed a solid performance by winning her match 6-0, 6-2.
After the first match, the women knew they would have to stay focused as they took on Division I opponent Nebraska-Omaha, and they did just that by winning the dual 4-1.
"This is a big step in the right direction for this women's program," Graetz said. "We have played a lot of Division I programs this year and to get a win feels good."
The women had been 0-2 previously this year (0-4 when exhibitions are included) against Division I programs, but they were able to execute on the big points to earn their first victory against a higher division opponent.
The Roadrunners did not get off to the best start by dropping the doubles point to start the dual. Two of the doubles matches were decided by tiebreakers, and MSU Denver could not outlast the Mavericks at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles to win the tiebreak.
"We were disappointed in not getting the doubles point," Graetz said. "That has been our strength this year, however we responded really well in singles."
The women bounced back quickly in singles after
Brooklyn Ross and
Helena Steenberg earned two quick victories at No. 1 and No. 2 singles to put the Roadrunners ahead 2-1. Ross was able to get back in the win column with a 6-2, 6-1 victory.
Stienemeier and Cool built off the energy from the morning, and they helped the Roadrunners shut the door against Nebraska-Omaha by winning their singles matches 6-3, 6-2, and giving MSU Denver the final two points needed to close out the dual.
Isabel Heras and
Gala Castello were looking like they would follow suit with the rest of the team in their singles matches, but their matches went unfinished after the Roadrunners won the fourth and decisive point.
The Roadrunners will continue their homestand with a doubleheader again tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. against Seward CC (Kansas) and 4 p.m. against Colorado College.
RESULTS
MSU Denver 7, CSU-Pueblo 0
DOUBLES
No. 1
Brooklyn Ross/
Isabel Heras (MSUD) def. Kali Hamilton/Sabina de la Vega, 6-2
No. 2
Helena Steenberg/
Lilly Stienemeier (MSUD) def. Katherine Ambrose/Alyssa Wells, 6-0
No. 3
Marie Cool/
Gala Castello (MSUD) def. Roma Cordova/Sonrisa Bustamante, 6-1
SINGLES
No. 1
Brooklyn Ross (MSUD) def. Kali Hamilton, 6-0, 6-1
No. 2
Isabel Heras (MSUD) def. Katherine Ambrose, 6-2, 6-0
No. 3
Gala Castello (MSUD) def. Roma Cordova, 6-0, 6-1
No. 4
Lilly Stienemeier (MSUD) def. Sabina de la Vega, 6-0, 6-0
No. 5
Marie Cool (MSUD) def. Alyssa Wells, 6-0, 6-0
No. 6
Kayla Myburgh (MSUD) def. Sonrisa Bustamante, 6-0, 6-2
MSU Denver 4, Nebraska-Omaha 1
DOUBLES
No. 1 Madison Gallegos/Ines Absisan (OMAHA) def.
Brooklyn Ross/
Isabel Heras, 6-4
No. 2 Colby Kelley/Brooke Covington (OMAHA) def.
Helena Steenberg/
Lilly Stienemeier, 7-6 (3)
No. 3 Natalie Lorentz/Addison Miller (OMAHA) def.
Marie Cool/
Gala Castello, 7-6 (5)
SINGLES
No. 1
Brooklyn Ross (MSUD) def. Ines Absisan, 6-2, 6-1
No. 2
Helena Steenberg (MSUD) def. Natalie Lorentz, 6-2, 6-2
No. 3
Isabel Heras (MSUD) vs. Brooke Covington, 7-5, 3-0 (unfinished)
No. 4
Gala Castello (MSUD) vs. Lillian Tiemeyer, 6-1, 4-4 (unfinished)
No. 5
Lilly Stienemeier (MSUD) def. Addison Miller, 6-3, 6-2
No. 6
Marie Cool (MSUD) def. Justine Linscott, 6-3, 6-2
