GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.— The Colorado Mesa University women's tennis team will resume a regional rivalry on Saturday when they travel to St. George, Utah to face first-year NCAA Division I Dixie State University in an inter-divisional doubleheader at the Trailblazer Tennis Courts.  The first dual is slated for 9:30 a.m. while the second will follow a lunch break at approximately 1 p.m.
 
The NCAA Division II Mavericks are 7-7 overall while the Trailblazers are 2-11 after dropping 7-0 decisions at UNLV on Wednesday and home to Utah on Thursday.
 
Good to see you again
 
The Mavericks and Trailblazers got to know each other quite well over the last few years and were co-members of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference during the 2018-19 year before the conference discontinued sponsorship of women's tennis following a drop of number of sponsoring institutions.  The two teams were also fellow members of the NCAA Division II South Central Region for 2018-19 and last year before DSU departed for the Division I ranks and the Western Athletic Conference this year.  The Mavericks also joined the Pacific West Conference this season after playing as independents, like DSU did, last year.
 
The two teams have faced each other at least once during all but one (2015) spring season since 2009 and had played every fall as well since 2010 until the fall of 2020, when the pandemic prevented much outside competition.
 
In total, the teams have faced off 23 times since Mar. 16, 2009.  The Mavericks have won 14 of those affairs and are 6-4 against the Trailblazers in St. George.  However, DSU has won eight of the last ten meetings.
 
The two teams split decisions during the 2019-20 season with each winning 5-2 on their home turf.  The Mavericks won at home on Sept. 27, 2019 before the Trailblazers claimed victory on Feb. 21, 2020. 
 
Last Time Out
 
The Mavericks played another Utah based and NCAA Division I opponent last week when they hosted Weber State at the Elliott Tennis Center on Friday, Mar. 19.  The match was CMU's first home encounter with an NCAA Division I opponent in 12 years.  The Wildcats won all three doubles matches and all six singles affairs in straight sets to claim the 7-0 team win.
 
CMU freshman Issy Coman fared the best for the Mavericks as she and Halle Romero took three games in the No. 2 doubles match.  Coman then battled with WSU's Yuuna Ukita at No. 1 singles but went down 6-4, 6-2 in what was the last match to be completed.
 
The Mavericks did get an exhibition singles win from Alexi Klabunde, who defeated the Wildcats' Ana Gonzales in a single-set match, 6-4.
 
Last of five
 
Saturday's doubleheader will mark the last two of five matches against NCAA Division I opponents this year.  The Mavericks have played Idaho State twice and Weber State earlier this year.
 
Even Steven
 
In addition to their .500 overall 7-7 record, the Mavericks are also .500 against NCAA Division II opponents, going 4-4.  The Mavericks are 0-3 against NCAA Division I foes but 3-0 against those from the NAIA ranks.
 
Regional Ranking
 
The Mavericks were positioned ninth in the NCAA Division II West Region, according to the first edition of Oracle/ITA Division II Women's Regional Rankings, which were released on Tuesday.  The Mavs have played three of the top four teams in the rankings so far this season falling to No. 1 Azusa Pacific, No. 3 Concordia-Irvine and No. 4 Biola during their foray into PacWest play earlier this month. 
 
The Mavs also have two matches scheduled against MSU Denver, ranked tenth in the region, next month.
 
CMU also holds a win over Western New Mexico, ranked ninth in the South Central Region, but fell that region's No. 7 team in Dallas Baptist.
 
On a national scale, the PacWest has two teams ranked in the nation's top 10 in No. 7 Hawai'i Pacific and No. 9 Azusa Pacific.    No. 22 Fresno Pacific and No. 23 Concordia are also in the latest top 25 poll while Academy of Art and Biola are receiving votes.
 
Doubles is the key
 
The Mavericks are a perfect 7-0 this season when they have won the doubles point.  Conversely, the Mavericks are 0-7 when they have lost the doubles point.
 
The Mavericks have already used ten different doubles combinations this season, four of which are undefeated.  The Campos sister-act of Carolena and Julianna is 4-0 as are Alexi Klabunde and Halle Romero, when they have played together.  Romero is also 1-0 with both Lauren Thomas and Julianna Campos and leads the team with a 7-6 doubles mark.  Thomas (5-4) and Klabunde (4-2) also have winning doubles records.
 
Nearing 50
 
Maverick junior Maike Waldburger claimed double-bagel 6-0, 6-0 No. 2 singles win over Kaitlyn Nguyen from Dominican in CMU's last victory on Mar. 12.  The victory snapped a 6-match singles slide and was her first victory since winning both at singles and doubles against Arizona Christian on Feb. 13. 
 
It was also Waldburger's 48^th career victory putting her just two shy of 50.
 
About Dixie State
 
The Trailblazers have seen how difficult the Division I ranks are this year as they have gone 2-11 overall Ten of their 11 losses have come by 7-0 margins to Division I foes.  They did defeat Seattle University in just their second WAC match by a 5-2 count on Mar. 21 at home.  The Trailblazers also claimed a 7-0 win over NAIA College of Idaho back on Mar. 7.
Up Next
 
After Saturday's duals, the Mavericks will continue their season with an Apr. 3 scrimmage against Seward County Community College in Denver.  They Mavericks then resume countable matches on Apr. 9 at MSU Denver in the first of four duals over three days on the front range of Colorado.