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Buffs Take Runner-Up Honors At NIT Championship

by CUBuffs.com
May 8, 2024

BRADENTON, Fla. – After falling 4-2 to Tulsa in a hard-fought championship match, the Colorado Buffaloes women's tennis team finished the 2023-24 season as the National Runner-Up in the UTR Sports NIT Championship, with the final match taking place Wednesday at IMG Academy. 

Playing in conditions the team hasn't seen all year with temperatures in the low 90s with high humidity, the Buffaloes battled tough all week, and the final match was no exception.  Elys Ventura and Mila Stanojevic continued their impressive weeks with singles wins for the Buffaloes.  

"Credit to Tulsa, they battled today," Head Coach Anthony Pham said. "I'm really proud of this team, they left it all out there today.  We had to make a change in doubles, I thought Alex played admirably at three, showed pride for her team.  I feel for the seniors, Elys, Ellie and Alex, but they should be proud of the standard and foundation we started to build last year and continued to take steps forward.  It's a bummer, we'd like to go home with the big trophy, but just proud of the ladies."

Ema Bubalo was not able to go today at No. 3 doubles and Alex Abysaova stepped in with Anya Nelson and the pair had moments but eventually fell 6-1.  Aya El Sayed and Pia Rebec took care of business at No. 1 doubles 6-4 and Mila Stanojevic and Elys Ventura battled tough at No. 2 doubles, at one point down 4-1, they tied it 5-5 before falling 7-5 as the Hurricanes took the doubles point.

With their work cut out for them needing to take four of six singles matches, the Buffs at points looked up to the challenge.  Stanojevic took care of business, dispatching of Lily Hutchings 6-3, 6-2, to tie the match at 1-1 and then after Betina Tokac fell in two sets at No. 4, Elys Ventura won her final college match to tie it back up at 2-2 with her 6-1, 6-2, win over Oleksandra Nahurska.  After Rebec fell at No. 6, it all came down to the final two matches of the day.

El Sayed had taken a first set lead at No. 1, winning 6-3 and by the time her second set was over and Maria Berlanga Bandera tied it at 1-1, Abyasova was just finishing a marathon 90 minute first set tie breaker at No. 4.  Up 5-3 in the tiebreaker, she fell in that set and then she battled but fell 6-1 in the second set to give Tulsa the 4-2 victory.

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • In what officials called the best doubles match of the entire week, men or women, the Buffs fell behind 1-0 in doubles play with Anya Nelson and Alexandra Abyasova falling 6-1 to Tayla Wilmont and Erin McKenzie.  Abyasova was subbing for an injured Bubalo. 
  • Aya El Sayed and Pia Rebec took care of business at No. 1 doubles, beating Maria Berlanga Bandera and Lily Hutchings 6-4. 
  • About the time Nelson and Abyasova fell, Mila Stanojevic and Elys Ventura were down 4-1 in their match.  The duo battled back to a 5-5 tie before falling 7-5 as Tulsa took a 1-0 lead in the match.
  • Similar to Tuesday, Mila Stanojevic made quick work at No. 3 singles, beating Hutchings 6-3, 6-2 to tie the match at 1-1. 
  • Tokac lost to Ana Naranjo Martinez 6-2, 6-3.  She was down 4-0 in the second set and battled back to 5-3 before falling. 
  • Ventura then won at No. 2 singles to tie the match at 2-2 with her win over Nahurska, 6-1, 6-2. 
  • Rebec fell at No. 6 singles, 6-2, 6-3, to Tayla Wilmont, giving Tulsa a 3-2 lead in the match.
  • Abyasova had a monster 90 minute first set against Erin McKenzie, but ultimately lost 7-6 (5) and then fell 6-1 in her second set to give Tulsa the win.
  • El Sayed had a chance to end her match, up 5-4 in the third, but play was suspended when she was tied with Bandera, 6-3, 1-6, 5-5. 

 UP NEXT
The 2023-24 season is now complete with the Buffs finishing with a 14-11 record.

RESULTS
No. 3 Tulsa, No. 1 Colorado 2
May 8, 2024
Bradenton, Fla. (IMG Academy)

Doubles
   1.   No. 59 El Sayed/Rebec (CU) def. Bandera/Hutchings (TUL) 6-4
   2.   Nahurska/Martinez (TUL) def. No. 118 Stanojevic/Ventura (CU) 7-5
   3.   Wilmot/McKenzie (TUL) def. Abyasova/Nelson (CU) 6-1
Order of Finish: (3,1,2*)

Singles
   1.   Aya El Sayed (CU) vs. Maria Berlanga Bandera (TUL) 6-3,1-6, 5-5, unf.
   2.   Elys Ventura (CU) def. Oleksandra Nahurska (TUL) 6-1, 6-2
   3.   Mila Stanojevic (CU) def. Lily Hutchings (TUL) 6-3, 6-2
   4.   Ana Naranjo Martinez (TUL) def. Betina Tokac (CU) 6-2, 6-3
   5.   Erin McKenzie (TUL) def. Alexandra Abyasova (CU) 7-6(5), 6-1
   6.   Tayla Wilmot (TUL) def. Pia Rebec (CU) 6-2, 6-3
Order of Finish: (3,4,2,6,5*)
 

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