Ania Anuskiewicz returns the ball to the Oregon Ducks during a doubles match on Friday, Feb. 18, 2011. (CU Independent/Kelly Kaoudis)
The Buffs tennis team almost rallied to a win, but was unable to hold back the Oregon Ducks.
Losing 4-3 on Friday afternoon at the Meadows Club in Boulder, the Buffs lost the first three points of the match, leaving them no choice but to try for a comeback.
OU started the match by winning two out of three doubles points, taking the lead 1-0.
The Ducks then increased their lead at the singles slots. At the No.1 position, CU senior Abbie Probert lost to Oregon�s Pavlina Smatova, 6-2, 6-2. Buffs junior Michala Hedelund Jensen then fell short of her 40th career singles victory in a loss to OU�s Patricia Skowronski, 6-1, 6-4 at the No.2 position.
The Buffs, then at a 3-0 deficit, didn�t give up.
At the No.3, 4 and 5 positions respectively, freshman Kristina Schleich, junior Ania Anuszkiewicz and freshman Winde Janssens won their matches. Schleich defeated OU�s Julia Metzger, 6-1, 7-6 (10-8), Anuszkiewicz overcame Rabea Stuckemann, 6-4, 6-3, and Jansenns beat out Pascale Neubert, 6-2, 6-2.
With the overall score even at 3-3, Colorado was back in the game.
It all came down to the final match. At the No.6 position, freshman Carla Manzi Tenorio took on OU�s freshman Lana Buttner. Tenorio lost the first of three sets, 6-3. She then defeated Buttner in the second set, 6-1, but Buttner held on in the final set, winning the match 6-2. The match was Tenorio�s first three set match of the spring season.
Head Coach Nicole Kenneally was disappointed by Tenorio�s loss, but remained optimistic about the match as a whole.
�[It was] a valuable learning experience for Carla,� Kenneally said in a news release. �Over the course of time she can remember what it is like in that situation.�
The Buffs� record now stands at 2-3 for the spring season. They return to the Meadows Club this Saturday to take on the New Mexico Lobos at 10 a.m.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Caryn Maconi�Caryn.maconi@colorado.edu.
