GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.— After a week off, the Colorado Mesa University women's tennis team will return to the courts on Friday, taking on NCAA Division I foe Utah Tech in St. George, Utah.
First serves are slated for 11 a.m. at the Trailblazer Tennis Courts.
The Mavericks will enter the match with a 6-6 record. The Trailblazers are currently 0-8 this spring.
Friday's encounter will also be CMU's final tune-up before beginning a massively important stretch against fellow Pacific West Conference foes.
Last Time Out
The Mavericks were last in action on Feb. 21 and 22, playing three indoor matches at the Ernest Grundy Tennis Center in Kearney, Nebraska.
The Mavs opened the weekend with a 7-0 win over Hastings before falling to the host and No. 16 ranked Nebraska-Kearney Lopers, 6-1 later that day. The Mavs then wrapped up the weekend with a 4-0 loss to Rockhurst on Saturday, Feb. 22.
Makenna Livingston led the Mavericks in singles playing 2-1 over the weekend. She also picked up a 6-3, 6-3 win over Nebraska-Kearney's Fabiana Gamboa, ranked 22
nd in the ITA NCAA Division II Singles rankings at the time.
In doubles,
Catalina Ballon Marin and
Jane Steur went 2-1 at No. 3 doubles to pace the Mavs.
Recaps of both days of action can be seen here:
Doubles is Everything
The doubles matches have been of critical importance this season, with the Mavericks winning the doubles point in half of their 12 matches this year. The Mavs are a perfect 6-0 when winning the doubles point but are 0-6 when their opponents have taken the early 1-0 lead.
The Mavs have a combined 24-22 doubles record this season, including a 17-16 record in the 12 duals with three other matches left unfinished.
Jade Brilhante and
Devyn Rodriguez lead the Mavericks with a 10-6 record, including a 7-4 record in the team matches. They are 6-3 at No. 1 and 1-1 when playing in the second flight.
Ranked at the top
Maverick senior
Makenna Livingston has moved
inside the top 50 of the latest ITA NCAA Division II singles rankings, which were released on Wednesday. The Huntington Beach, California native is ranked 47
th.
Livingston has played all but one dual match in the top flight of the lineup and played at No 2 in the second half of the Mavs' weekend doubleheader against Idaho State on Feb. 1-2, partially to prevent having to play the same opponent.
She is 5-6 in duals this season and has a 7-7 overall record, including a 2-1 record in individual format tournaments during the fall season.
Maier reaches 50
Maverick junior
Delia Maier was able to record her 50
th career victory during the trip to Nebraska, getting a 6-0, 6-0 win over Hastings' Cara Ansbach at No. 3 singles during the Mavs' 7-0 win over the Broncos.
Maier now has 25 singles wins throughout her career and has also posted 25 doubles wins, posting a winning doubles record of 25-23 throughout her 3-year CMU career.
Know You Foe
The Trailblazers have gone 0-8 this spring, They last played on Feb. 20, taking on New Mexico State in their home-opener. The Trailblazers dropped that match, 4-0.
Although the Trailblazers have not claimed any team wins, they have managed to pick up five singles wins.
Laura Coulome has won two of those, winning one at No. 5 and another at No. 6.
Mariana Zurita also has a win at No. 2.
In doubles, Zurita and Nicole Kells have a 2-1 record as a doubles duo.
Series History
The Mavericks and Trailblazers have an extensive history and have played against each other at least once during every spring since and including 2016.
Utah Tech, formerly known as Dixie State, was also a former NCAA Division II and Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference rival with the Mavs, before leaving for the Division I ranks.
The Mavs lead the all-time series, 17-12 and have won three of the last four matches, claiming a pair of 4-3 wins in a Mar. 12, 2022 doubleheader before winning 5-2 on the same day in 2023.
The Trailblazers won last year's match-up on Mar. 9 by a 7-0 margin.
The last seven matches have all been played in St. George, where the Mavs are 9-7 overall and 3-4 in that stretch.
Up Next
The Mavs will make a Spring Break trip to California, playing seven of their fellow Pacific West Conference in a 6-day span from Mar. 15-20.
