Seventh Heaven

LOGAN, Utah -- The Wyoming Cowgirl tennis team rallied to survive in thrilling fashion Sunday afternoon at Utah State, winning the final two singles matches of the day to come-from-behind to defeat the Aggies, 4-3 and ends the season on a seven-match winning streak.

The seven consecutive wins by the Cowgirls (13-6, 7-2 MW), are tied for the third-longest winning streak in program history.

UW technically finishes the season in third place in the Mountain West standings at 7-2, but played one fewer match this season than Fresno State and UNLV did due to COVID-19, and beat both the Bulldogs and Lady Rebels.

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“The team improved tremendously over the past six weeks and the results showed,” UW head coach Dean Clower said. “Today was a typical Utah State and Wyoming battle, where it didn’t matter who played, what mattered was the fight of the teams. I’m proud of this team and having everyone back for the next two years bodes well for the future of the program.”

The Cowgirls were able were able to get wins at No. 5 and 6 singles Sunday in order to rally for the win. Noesjka Brink got the straight-set win over Gabrielle Dekkers, 6-4 and 6-2 at the fifth spot while Mihaela Kaftanova was able to secure the win for UW with the 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) win over USU’s Naya Tillitt.

Wyoming also got wins at No. 2 singles, as Sophie Zehender won a tough, 7-5, 6-3 win over Zara Ryan. While at the No. 4 spot, Lucia Malinak won her seventh-straight match with a hard-fought 7-6 (7-2) and 7-5 win. With the victory, Malinak becomes the third cowgirl with double-digit singles victories this season, joining Brink and Zehender.

Utah State (7-13, 2-8 MW) was able to jump out to the early lead Sunday, winning the doubles point. The tandem of Brink and Maria Oreshkina won at the No. 1 doubles spot, 6-4 to get the lone win for Wyoming in the doubles portion.

Wyoming at Utah State
4/25/21 at Logan, Utah

Wyoming 4, Utah State 3
Doubles competition
1. Noesjka Brink/Maria Oreshkina (WYO) def. Renata Lombera/Carolina Millan (USU) 6-4
2. Zara Ryan/Naya Tillitt (USU) def. Ana Fernandez/Sophie Zehender (WYO) 7-6 (7-4)
3. Annaliese County/Gabrielle Dekkers (USU) def. Mihaela Kaftanova/Ida Krause (WYO) 6-1

Singles competition
1. Millan (USU) def. Oreshkina (WYO) 6-3, 6-2
2. Zehender (WYO) def. Ryan (USU) 7-5, 6-3
3. Lombera (USU) def. Fernandez (WYO) 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7-3)
4. Lucia Malinak (WYO) def. County (USU) 7-6 (7-2), 7-5
5. Brink (WYO) def. Dekkers (USU) 6-4, 6-2
6. Kaftanova (WYO) def. Tillitt (USU) 6-2, 7-6 (7-3)