Colorado College junior
Kala Komanduri won the No 3 singles match and the 25
th-ranked Tigers put up a valiant effort but fell to No. 18 Pomona-Pitzer, 4-1, in the second round of the NCAA Division III Women's Tennis Tournament Friday morning in Claremont, Calif.
The Tigers, playing their first NCAA tournament match since 1986, finish the 2026 season with a 20-4 record, the most wins in one season in program history, after having their program-best 13-match winning streak snapped on Friday.
The Sagehens (11-8) took an early 1-0 lead by winning the No. 1 and No. 3 doubles matches. Lauren Rha and Leticia Bazua Vazquez defeated
Lucia Moravek and
Aspen Young, 6-3, in the No. 1 match, then Tessa Ellingson and Aditi Gulati clinched the point with 6-4 victory over
Lindsay Popeo and
Avery Hickman at the No. 3 spot. At that point, the No. 2 match was pulled, with Pomona-Pizer's team of Annique Varty and Ishya Bhavsar leading Komanduri and
Ally Lowe, 5-4.
Rha put Pomona-Pitzer ahead 2-0 with a 6-0, 6-1, victory over Young at the No. 1 singles position, but Komanduri put the Tigers on the board by defeating Meha Choudhary, 6-3, 6-1, at the No. 3 spot.
Varty downed Popeo, 6-1, 6-3, at the No. 6 position for a 3-1 Sagehen lead, then Ellingson clinched the team match with a 7-5, 6-1 triumph over Moravek at No. 4. The final two matches were pulled at that time late in the second set of each match.
"There is so much to celebrate with this group," head coach
Anthony Weber said. "They were the most selfless group I have coached at any level. From Amelia (Karr) and Meredith (Waters) back on campus and sitting through practices, through our bench players, and into the top of the lineup, they all had amazing care and support for one another. Those experiences are so rare, we were all fortunate to be a part of it. I am so proud of this team."
#18 Pomona-Pitzer 4, #25 Colorado College 1
May 8, 2026
Claremont, CA
2026 NCAA Division III Tournament – Second Round
Doubles
1. Lauren Rha / Leticia Bazua Vazquez (PP) def.
Lucia Moravek /
Aspen Young, 6-3 (1)
2. Annique Varty / Ishya Bhavsar (PP) vs.
Ally Lowe /
Kala Komanduri, 5-4 DNF
3. Tessa Ellingson / Aditi Gulati (PP) def.
Lindsay Popeo /
Avery Hickman, 6-4 (2)
Singles
1. Lauren Rha (PP) def.
Aspen Young, 6-0, 6-1
2. Leticia Bazua Vazquez (PP) vs.
Ally Lowe, 6-4, 4-5 DNF
3.
Kala Komanduri (CC) def. Meha Chaudhary, 6-3, 6-1
4. Tessa Ellingson (PP) def.
Lucia Moravek, 7-5, 6-1
5. Sofia Kaliva (PP) vs.
Avery Hickman, 6-4, 5-5 DNF
6. Annique Varty (PP) def.
Lindsay Popeo, 6-1, 6-3
