The Colorado College women's tennis team played a couple of matches at the CSU-Pueblo Invitational in Pueblo, Colo., this weekend to open the 2015-16 campaign. The Tigers, who have four of their returners studying abroad this fall, including 2015 conference Newcomer of the Year Fiona Cerf, lost to Central Oklahoma 8-1 on Friday and Texas-Permian Basin 9-0 on Saturday.
 
With four freshmen and two sophomores in the lineup, CC battled UT-Permian Basin to three third-set tiebreakers in singles play but could not come away with a victory. Sophomore Natalia Dellavalle (No. 1) and freshmen Annie Zlevor (No. 3) and Kendal McGinnis (No. 4) all went the distance on Saturday.
 
On Friday, sophomore Erica Salhus won the No. 6 match in the first dual match of her career. She defeated Central Oklahoma's Alison Powers, 6-2, 1-6, 1-0(9).
 
"The scores may not indicate it, but the girls played very smart doubles for such a young, inexperienced group," head coach Anthony Weber said. "If we pull out a doubles win and take a couple of the three-setters on Saturday, it becomes a very different match."
 
The Tigers are idle for a couple of weeks until they host Midland University on Saturday, Sept. 26 beginning at 9 a.m.
 
 
Central Oklahoma 8, Colorado College 1
Sept. 11, 2015
Pueblo, Colo.
 
Doubles
1. Kirtana Bhat / Emilie Semo (UCO) def. Natalia Dellavalle / Annie Zlevor, 8-2
2. Alix Williams / Shali Shoepflin (UCO) def. Maddie Cahill-Sanidas / Madison Doerre, 8-6
3. Alison Powers / Anna Minakova (UCO) def. Kendal McGinnis / Simone Hall, 8-1
 
Singles
1. Kirtana Bhat (UCO) def. Natalia Dellavalle, 6-2, 6-3
2. Emilie Semo (UCO) def. Madison Doerre, 6-1, 6-1
3. Anna Minakova (UCO) def. Annie Zlevor, 6-4, 6-0
4. Shali Shoepflin (UCO) def. Kendal McGinnis, 6-2, 6-3
5. Alix Williams (UCO) def. Simone Hall, 6-2, 6-3
6. Erica Salhus (CC) def. Alison Powers, 6-2, 1-6, 1-0(9)
 
 
Texas-Permian Basin 9, Colorado College 0
Sept. 12, 2015
Pueblo, Colo.
 
Doubles
1. Lisa Roslanova / Smith def. Madison Doerre / Annie Zlevor, 8-4
2. Andrea Villalobos / Drona def. Maddie Cahill-Sanidas / Natalia Dellavalle, 8-3
3. Shelbey Greene / Greene def. Kendal McGinnis / Simone Hall, 8-5
 
Singles
1. Lisa Roslanova def. Natalia Dellavalle, 6-3, 0-6, 1-0(5)
2. Drona def. Madison Doerre, 6-2, 6-2
3. Andrea Villalobos def. Annie Zlevor, 6-3, 1-6, 1-0(6)
4. Shelbey Greene def. Kendal McGinnis, 2-6, 6-4, 1-0(6)
5. Sydney Holdampf def. Simone Hall, 7-6, 6-4
6. Krissy Chavez def. Erica Salhus, 6-1, 6-1