The Colorado Buffaloes women’s tennis team began their spring season with a 7-0 win over the Montana State Bobcats on Friday night at the Meadows Club in Boulder.
The Buffaloes secured the doubles point quickly, winning matches at both the No. 1 and No. 2 spots. Lera Alexin and Rixt Van der Werff earned a 6-4 victory at No. 2 doubles, followed by Anya Nelson and Ema Bubalo also winning 6-4 at the top spot. The third doubles match was left unfinished after Colorado clinched the opening point.
“It’s always good to start with a win,” head coach Anthony Pham said. “Montana State is a good team, they always finish at the top of their conference. I’m happy for our team, and good for our underclassmen to get a feel for the competition.”
In singles play, all six matches went to Colorado in straight sets. Bubalo won her match at No. 2 singles, marking her first win of the spring and seventh overall this season. Alexin followed with a close second set tiebreaker to take her match at No. 4 singles.
Pia Rebec, Lani Brotman, Van der Werff, and Nelson each contributed wins as well to complete the sweep.
“It was a great crowd tonight; we are grateful for everyone who came out to support. There’s always nerves to begin doubles, but with help from the crowd they weathered the storm and got through those matches,” Pham added.
Alexin and Van der Werff started strong in doubles with a seven-point run in their match against Bean and Gelashvilia before finishing 6-2; this brought their career record as partners to eight wins and one loss.
Nelson and Bubalo came back from behind in their doubles match against Wise and Stverakova before securing two final games for a 6-4 victory.
In singles play:
– Bubalo defeated Anna Wise (6-2, 6-2)
– Alexin beat Terezie Stverakova (6-2, 7-5)
– Rebec overcame Angel Bean (6-2, 6-4)
– Brotman won over Kavya Khirwar (6-1, 7-6 [3]), marking her first dual win as a Buff
– Van der Werff took down Nia Gelashvili (6-4, 6-3)
– Nelson finished off Lola Bean (6-1, 6-2)
“I was nervous at first, but once I started moving and getting into it, I felt good,” Brotman said after her debut dual win. “The team is great, I felt so much support and felt a lot of energy from the people. Usually when I play, I am pretty locked in, but I felt the love from the crowd.”
Colorado now holds an undefeated record of six wins against Montana State without dropping any points across those meetings.
This is also Colorado’s fourth consecutive year opening its home schedule with a victory.
Nelson/Bubalo recorded their thirty-third career doubles win together—tying them for sixth most by any pair in program history.
Rebec reached thirty-three career singles victories as she enters her junior year; it was only her second time winning from the No.3 position.
Bubalo and Nelson each achieved their twenty-second career singles victories.
Brotman’s overall record now stands at eight wins following her first dual success.
Colorado will continue its home schedule on Sunday against Air Force Academy at 2 p.m., with updates available via Instagram or X (@cubuffstennis).
