Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State
Grand Canyon
Tennis recap: Grand Canyon blanks CSU
1/23/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
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FORT COLLINS, Colo. - The Colorado State tennis team dropped a match for the second night in a row on Saturday, falling 7-0 to Grand Canyon University at the Fort Collins Country Club.
CSU's best chance at victories came at the No. 5 and 6 singles positions. At the No. 5 position, junior Madison Porter came up just short in an epic match that featured several tremendous rallies, extra points and a tiebreaker. After dropping the first set, 6-2, Porter won the second (7-5), but not before GCU's Lana Rinaldi nearly rallied from down 5-2 to force a 5-5 tie. Porter was able to win the next two games, though, to send the match to a first-to-10 tiebreaker. This time it was Porter's turn to attempt a rally. After a 4-4 tie, GCU took a 9-4 advantage, just one point away from the victory. Porter fought off four match points, however, before eventually falling 10-8. The No. 6 spot featured two extended sets with senior Aina Hernandez Soler dropping the first set, 7-5, before winning the next, 6-2. During the tiebreaker round, Hernandez Soler led 9-8, but GCU's Mari Deleval won the next three points to seal the match, 11-9.
"I'm proud of the way the last two girls fought," head coach Jon Messick said. "I thought Grand Canyon, 1 through 6, was a more consistent team than Seattle was, but I was proud of the two girls who got it to the third set. I think right now, with rehabbing from injuries and having a freshman play high in the lineup, I think we're a work in progress right now, and we need to take the next couple of weeks to regroup and start fresh."
After Grand Canyon's No. 1 pair defeated CSU's Aina Hernandez Soler/Madison Porter (6-1) in doubles play, the Rams were in two tight battles on the remaining courts. Once down 5-2, Emily Kolbow/Celine Voss battled back to get within one, 5-4. Concurrently, CSU's Maddie Buxton/Laia Hernandez Soler were trying to reclaim a lead at the No. 3 position. Down 5-4 after leading for much of the match, the duo battled back to tie the match at 5-5. However, play would conclude at that point as GCU won the No. 2 position (6-4) to secure the doubles point.
After dropping her first set in singles play, 6-3, Emily Kolbow (No. 2) was in position to knot the match at 1-1. The freshman led for most of the match, including 4-3 late, but GCU's Alexandra Petrzalkova came back to win the final three games to secure the match. Moments later, the Antelopes clinched the overall match with a No. 3 singles victory over Celine Voss (6-2, 6-3). In No. 1 singles, Tatum Prudhomme defeated Laia Hernandez Soler (6-1, 6-1).
The Rams will be back in action Feb. 5 and 6 for home matches against CSU-Pueblo and Metro State. Fans will receive complimentary pizza at the Feb. 5 match, while the Rams will host a free kids' clinic prior to the Feb. 6 contest.
Doubles
No. 1: Tatum Prudhomme/Susan Baklini (GCU) def. Aina Hernandez Soler/Madison Porter (CSU) - (6-1)
No. 2: Alexandra Petrzalkova/Marie Deleval (GCU) def. Emily Kolbow/Celine Voss (CSU) - (6-4)
No. 3: Maddie Buxton/Laia Hernandez Soler (CSU) vs. Lana Macukat/Lana Rinaldi (GCU) - DNF (5-5)
Order of Finish: 1, 2
Singles
No. 1: Tatum Prudhomme (GCU) def. Laia Hernandez Soler (CSU) - (6-1, 6-1)
No. 2: Alexandra Petrzalkova (GCU) def. Emily Kolbow (CSU) - (6-3, 6-4)
No. 3: Susan Baklini (GCU) def. Celine Voss (CSU) - (6-3, 6-2)
No. 4: Lana Macukat (GCU) def. Maddie Buxton (CSU) - (6-4, 6-0)
No. 5: Lana Rinaldi (GCU) def. Madison Porter (CSU) - (6-2, 5-7, 10-8)
No. 6: Marie Deleval (GCU) def. Aina Hernandez Soler (CSU) - (7-5, 2-6, 11-9)
Order of Finish: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Attendance: 144
Players Mentioned
