GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.— The Colorado Mesa University women's team shook off a major bugaboo from last season winning a trio of 3-set singles matches and an incredible 13-11 second-set tie-breaker in another en-route to a 5-2 victory over visiting Dixie State University in their 2019-20 home opener on Friday afternoon at the Elliott Tennis Center.
 
The Mavericks, now 3-3 overall, had been on the short end of four separate hard-fought matches with the Trailblazers (2-3) last year, including in the semifinals of the 2019 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament.  The Trailblazers went on to win that tournament, which could be the last as the conference no longer sponsors the sport.  Now both teams are competing as independents in the NCAA Division II South Central Region.
 
Friday's total team win, which saw every Maverick contribute a point, was clinched by sophomore Maike Waldburger, who came from a set down to win her No. 5 singles match over Katelyn Longson, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.  Kristen Kirby also won her sixth straight singles match at No. 1 as she took down Isabel Heras, 6-1, 4-6, 6-4.
 
Minutes earlier, Rebecca Osterberg won her No. 3 match over Emma Templeman in two tight sets taking a 6-4, 7-6 (13-11) win.  Freshman Laura Alsing also won quite a battle at No. 2 taking the first set in a 7-2 tie-breaker before dropping the second set just minutes after Waldburger's clincher.  Alsing then bounced back to win the 11-9 match tie-breaker.
 
The Mavericks had entered singles play with a 1-0 lead after taking two of three doubles matches and the all-important doubles point.  Osterberg and Waldburger were the ones to clinch that point as they won 6-4 over Lynch and Templeman, who had been a perfect 4-0 coming in, at No. 2 doubles.
 
Carolena Campos and Lauren Thomas also won a 6-2 No. 3 doubles match to give the Mavs' the early doubles advantage.
 
Maverick freshman Halle Romero also won an exhibition singles match for the Mavs over Anna Peterson, 6-2, 6-3.
 
Both teams will play NCAA Division III Colorado College (0-2) on Saturday at the Elliott Tennis Center.    The Traiblazers will face them at 9 a.m. before the Mavs and Tigers will tangle at 1:30 p.m.