Wyo4News Staff, [email protected] [PRESS RELEASE]
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO — It was a big day of doubles competition for the Wyoming Cowgirl tennis team Friday on day two of the Bedford Cup, hosted by the Air Force Academy. The Bedford Cup is the first of four tournaments this fall for the Cowgirls.
After a rough start to the fall slate Thursday, Wyoming bounced back by winning 7-of-8 doubles matches Friday. It was headlined by the tandem of Violetta Borodina and Sophie Zehender, who won three matches on the day after winning their opening match on Thursday afternoon. The duo advances to Sunday morning’s championship match.
Borodina and Zehender are playing together for the first time this fall after both lost their previous doubles partners to graduation in All-Mountain West honorees Ana Fernandez and Maria Oreshkina. Borodina and Zehender marched to the championship behind the strength of a 6-4 win over New Mexico’s Jhang and Huang. The tandem also picked up a big-time quarterfinal win over Denver’s Andrea Beltran and Britt Pursell, 7-5. The duo opened the day with an 8-3 win over CSU’s Zara Lennon and Viktoryia Zhadzinskaya. Borodina and Zehender opened the Bedford Cup with an 8-2 win over Boise State’s Ana Conde Vendrell and Ryan Kershner.
Wyoming also had a strong day from the team of Noesjka Brink and Lucia Malinak, who picked up three wins on their way to qualifying for the consolation semifinals. The team opened consolation play with an 8-4 victory over Claudia Martinez and Alice Otis of Denver. Then, the duo won a thriller over Andrea Le and Alexis Odom of the Air Force Academy, 7-6 (7-5). The day ended with a 6-4 win over Joana Baptista and Ariadna Ginesta Briones.
The Cowgirls’ seventh victory in doubles on the day came from Serina Abriola and Adel Ismagulova as they won 7-6 (7-4) over Indya Nespor and Laura Eugenio de Hilario from Utah State.
UW returns to action with more consolation singles and doubles action on day three of the Bedford Cup on Saturday.
