SPOKANE, Wash. – The Wyoming tennis team (2-0 overall) resumed dual play and defeated the Idaho Vandals (0-1 overall), 6-1, on Saturday night.
“I thought we were very disciplined and resilient in doubles today,” head coach Dean Clower said. “I’m very proud of the way we stuck to our style of play and executed. In singles, I loved the fight and composure we played with. I can’t single out one individual because each one of them played Cowgirl tennis.”
The Cowgirls started off strong by earning the doubles point. The pair of Elisa Koonik and Tessa van Der Ploeg defeated Jessica Brzozowska and Lucia Badillos, 6-4, while Magdalena Stencel and Miranda Talbert clinched the point with a 6-4 victory over Shion Watabe and Claire Yang. Dorottya Jonas and Ana Tkachenko were down 5-4 against Maria Tavares and Ana Batiri but did not finish.
That momentum carried over to singles as Wyoming won five of six matches. Tkachenko earned a straight set victory, 6-3, 6-3, over Yang followed by Koonik with a 6-2, 7-6 win over Watabe. Jonas gave the Cowgirls the victory with her 6-1, 7-6 defeat of Batiri. Stencel needed three sets, 1-6, 6-3, 6-2, in her win against Badillos as did van Der Ploeg who defeated Tavares, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1. The final Cowgirl in action was Genkova who lost to Brzozwska, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Wyoming vs. Gonzaga
The Cowgirl tennis team (2-1 overall) closed out the weekend with a 5-2 loss against the Gonzaga Bulldogs (1-0 overall) on Sunday afternoon.
“We lost a great match today,” head coach Dean Clower said. “Once again, our doubles is getting better and we are developing at a fast pace. I’m happy with the fight this team shows and the ability to push each other on the court. We are on the right track to being a good team as long as we keep going on this path.”
Wyoming got off to a good start by earning the doubles point to take the early 1-0 lead. Senior Dorottya Jonas and freshman Ana Tkachenko defeated Nevada Apollo and Domonique Garley, 6-2 while junior Magdalena Stencel and senior Miranda Talbert beat Alex Bourguignon and Graciela Rosas, 6-3. Sophomores Elisa Koonik and Tessa van Der Ploeg were down 5-3 against Sophie Whittle and Kate Ketels but did not finish the match.
It was a battle in singles with the Bulldogs winning five of the six matches. Gonzaga earned its first point of the day as Whittle defeated Stencel, 6-3, 6-1, followed by Apollo with a straight set win, 6-3, 6-1, over Jonas. They would win the next two to clinch the match against Wyoming. Haruna Tsuruta beat freshman Imogen Clews, 7-5, 6-1, while Rosas beat Koonik, 7-6 (7-1), 6-3. van Der Ploeg was the only Cowgirl to come away with a victory as she defeated Bourguignon, 7-5, 7-5. Tkachenko closed out the day with a three-set loss, 5-7, 6-1, 7-5, against Ketels.
The Cowgirls will return to action on Friday to begin a three-match road swing. UW will open up on Friday against Creighton followed by matches against Nebraska and North Dakota State, Saturday and Sunday respectively. All three matches will be played at the Sid and Hazel Dillon Tennis Center in Lincoln.
Results
Wyoming 6, Idaho 1
Doubles
1 Koonik/van Der Ploeg (WY) def. Brozozowska/Badillos (UI), 6-4
2 Jonas/Tkachenko (WY) def. Tavares/Batiri (UI), 4-5 DNF
3 Stencel/Talbert (WY) def. Watabe/Yang (UI), 6-4
Singles
1 Stencel (WY) def. Badillos (UI), 1-6, 6-3, 6-2
2 Jonas (WY) def. Batiri (UI), 6-1, 7-6
3 Brzozowska (UI) def. Genkova (WY), 2-6, 6-2, 6-3
4 Van Der Ploeg (WY) def. Tavares (UI), 3-6, 6-4, 6-1
5 Koonik (WY) def. Watabe (UI), 6-2, 7-6
6 Tkachenko (WY) def. Yang (UI), 6-3, 6-3
Gonzaga 5, Wyoming 2
Singles
1 #116 Whittle(GON) def. Stencel (WY) 6-3, 6-1
2 Apollo (GON) def. Jonas (WY) 6-3, 6-1
3 Van Der Ploeg (WY) def. Bourguignon (GON) 7-5, 7-5
4 Rosas (GON) def. Koonik (WY) 7-6 (7-1), 6-3
5 Ketels (GON) def. Tkachenko (WY) 5-7, 6-1, 7-5
6 Tsuruta (GON) def. Clews (WY) 7-5, 6-1
Doubles
1 Whittle/Ketels (GON) vs. Koonik/Van Der Ploeg (WY) 5-3, unfinished
2 Jonas/Tkachenko (WY) def. Apollo/Garley (GON) 6-2
3 Stencel/Talbert (WY) def. Bourguignon/Rosas (GON) 6-3
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