Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
Wyoming
CSU tennis goes down to wire to beat Wyoming
4/18/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
April 18, 2008
FORT COLLINS, Colo.- The Colorado State women's tennis team faced the Wyoming Cowgirls in the tennis version of the Border War Friday at Fossil Creek Park. In a match that would come down to the final singles spot, Greer Satherlie was able to clinch a 4-3 win for the Rams, giving the team its first conference win.
For the second straight week, the Rams (8-10, 1-6 MWC) captured the doubles point.
Bringing eight victories into their match, Laura Neal and Anette Pohjalainen teamed up at the No. 2 spot. Only allowing Michelle Brown and Carly Van Hollen to win two games, Neal and Pohjalainen picked up their third consecutive win. This marks the longest current win streak for the Rams.
After picking up a hard-earned win in the tiebreaker in their last outing, Kirsten Stople and Sarah Seltsam competed at the No. 3 spot. Yet, this time, the duo took it to their Wyoming opposition, earning an 8-3 victory. Stople and Seltsam currently lead the team in doubles wins with 11.
"That was as steady as we've played at No. 2 and 3 doubles all year," said Head Coach Jon Messick. "We were both consistent and aggressive when we needed to be. I really liked the way we closed out those matches, and didn't let Wyoming back into it. We beat them at the net, and that's the way we like to play."
At No. 1 doubles, Hilary Tyler and Lauren Strasburger spotted the Cowgirls an early lead, then battled back within two at 7-5. Then, with Wyoming at match point, Tyler's kill shot ended a series of eight deuces to pull her duo within one, but the Cowgirls took the decisive game and won 8-6.
Still, the Rams captured the point, and with it important momentum heading into singles.
"That was huge, getting that doubles point," Messick said. "If you go into singles down by a point, there's a lot of pressure on you. It's so much easier to win three out of six (singles matches), compared to four out of six. Some people don't think the doubles point means that much, because it's just a pro set, but it's really big."
Winning the doubles point proved key for the Rams as they would split the singles matches. The teams were forced to battle for each and every point as four of the six matches went to three sets.
When it all came down to the final, No. 6 singles spot, Satherlie and junior Jamie Nelson would make use of each game. With Satherlie winning the first set 6-3, the battle began. The second set went back and forth and stayed tight for the duration of the set. Eventually, Nelson would take over and win the tiebreaker, 7-6 (2). Yet, with the match on the line for the Rams, and the only match still in play, Satherlie would not give up, going on to win decisively in the final set, 6-3. Satherlie is now tied with Caitlin Fluegge for the team high in wins with 16.
"It was very difficult for the last person to go out and have it come down to her," commented Messick. "That's a lot of pressure."
Tyler started both her singles sets by winning the first five games, and was able to make quick work of fellow senior Corina Lazar, earning a 6-1, 6-1 victory. This would be the only quick win for the Rams.
"We won easily at No.1 and that was it," said Messick. "The rest was tough."
At the No. 2 spot, Neal dropped her first set, 2-6. But in her final two sets, she picked up her game, winning both 6-3, 6-3 to capture the come-from-behind win.
Strasburger and Pohjalainen would both start out in strong fashion, winning the first set of their singles draws. Yet, facing relentless Cowgirl opposition, each would drop their matches in three sets.
Fluegge matched up with senior Brown, one of Wyoming's most dominant players. Clinching the match for Rams Tuesday, Fluegge was unable to handle Brown, falling at the No. 5 position.
"Give Wyoming credit," Messick said. "The match could have gone either way. It was a dog fight and Wyoming gave us all we could handle. We managed to hit the right shots at the right time to win."
The Rams now hold a 12-4 record all-time against the Cowgirls.
The Rams return to the court Saturday as they close out the regular season taking on Air Force in Colorado Springs, Colo. The match is set for 10 a.m.
Friday's Results:
Doubles:
No. 1: Lazar/Berger (WYO) def. Strasburger/Tyler (CSU); 8-6
No. 2: Neal/Pohjalainen (CSU) def. Brown/Van Hollen (WYO); 8-2
No. 3: Seltsam/Stople (CSU) def. Nelson/Summerfield (WYO); 8-3
Order of finish: 3, 2, 1
Singles:
No. 1: Hilary Tyler (CSU) def. Corina Lazar (WYO); 6-1, 6-1
No. 2: Laura Neal (CSU) def. Rebecca Berger (WYO); 2-6, 6-3, 6-3
No. 3: Carly Van Hollen (WYO) def. Lauren Strasburger (CSU); 1-6, 6-0, 6-4
No. 4: Sarah Summerfield (WYO) def. Anette Pohjalainen (CSU); 4-6, 7-5, 6-1
No. 5: Michelle Brown (WYO) def. Caitlin Fluegge (CSU); 6-1, 6-3
No. 6: Greer Satherlie (CSU) Jamie Nelson (WYO); 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-3
Order of finish: 1, 5, 3, 2, 4, 6
