ST. GEORGE, Utah— Senior Kristen Kirby and freshman Laura Alsing each went 3-1 to lead the Colorado Mesa University women's tennis team to a Friday split here at the Trailblazer Invitational.
 
The Mavericks dropped a 5-2 decision to host Dixie State University Trailblazers in their first match but bounced back for a 6-1 win over a short-handed Holy Names University squad in the evening.  The second match with the Hawks was originally scheduled for Saturday morning but was moved up to Friday evening due to looming weather forecasts in southwestern Utah.
 
The Friday split leaves the Mavericks with a 6-5 team record heading into the rest of the weekend. 
 
Although play has not yet officially called off for Saturday, the Mavericks and Coach Dan MacDonald now expect to finish the weekend with a Sunday encounter with Western New Mexico.  That match was originally to be played Saturday afternoon.
 
The Mavericks took the doubles point in both matches on Friday and took full advantage of a depleted Holy Names lineup winning two matches by default and another by retirement in the convincing overall win.
 
Dixie State 5, Colorado Mesa 2
 
The Mavericks took control as Kirby and Alsing defeated Juliana Honczaruk and Alexandra Hidreth in the No. 1 doubles match, 6-2 before claiming the doubles point with a 6-3 win in the No. 3 position by Carolena Campos and Halle Romero over the Trailblazers' Emma Templeman and Anna Peterson.
 
However, the Thunderbirds came roaring back winning five of the six singles matches in straight sets to take the dual.
 
Kirby was the lone Mavericks' singles winner as she won 6-4, 7-5 over Templeman in the top flight.  Campos was involved the other closest match but dropped a 7-5, 6-3 decision to Katelyn Longson in the fourth flight.
 
Colorado Mesa 6, Holy Names 1
 
With little turn-around time, the Mavericks quickly bounced back and took a 1-0 lead as Kirby and Alsing defeated Symone Jacques and Raia Jagger, 6-3 after Campos and Romero won their match by default as the Hawks could only field a lineup of five.
 
The Mavericks continued to roll in singles as Alsing, Rebecca Osterberg, Campos, Maike Waldburger and Romero all won their singles matches in relatively easy fashion.  Alsing won by retirement at No. 2 singles over Jacques and was leading 5-4 in the opening set.
 
Osterberg defeated Jagger, 6-2, 6-1 at No. 3 while Campos took down Anna Hoerter, 6-1, 7-5 at No. 4.  Waldburger cruised to a 6-1, 6-0 win over Sarah Kellogg while Romero won by default.
 
Kirby was downed 6-3, 6-0 by Stephanie Huang, who had also teamed with Hoerter for a 7-6 (7-5) win over Osterberg and Waldburger in the No. 2 doubles affair.
 
The match with the Hawks began at the DSU Tennis Courts and was then moved to the Bloomington Country Club, which has lights.