COLORADO SPRINGS — Colorado Mesa's 18-match winning streak against Colorado College was snapped Saturday in a dual that went down to the wire, a 4-3 Tigers' victory.
Tied 3-3 with only the No. 1 singles match on the court, Makenna Livingston and Kala Komanduri split the first two sets, with Komanduri winning the first set 6-3 and Livingston coming back with a 7-6 (7-5) win in the second. They played a tiebreaker for the second straight week, with Komanduri winning 11-9 to win the match and the dual. Last week, Livingston came out on top 10-4 in the tiebreaker in the Mavs' 4-3 victory.
Colorado Mesa had not lost to Colorado College since a 6-3 setback in Colorado Springs in 2009 and is 22-12 all-time against the Tigers.
Livingston did win her 50th career doubles match when she and Delia Maier defeated Komanduri and Amelia Karr 7-6 (7-3) at No. 2, giving the CMU senior 99 career victories. She can reach the century mark Sunday morning when the Mavericks (14-11) wrap up the regular season against CSU Pueblo at Pueblo City Park. Livingston, ranked No. 67 in singles, has won 49 career singles matches.
After playing the ThunderWolves, the women will prepare for the PacWest Tournament next weekend in Surprise, Ariz.
Against the Tigers, 7-7 and ranked No. 42 in Division III, Colorado Mesa won the doubles point with Jade Brilhante and Devyn Rodriguez winning their No. 1 match 6-4 just before Livingston and Maier clinched the point at No. 2. Colorado College's Avery Hickman and Ally Lowe held off Catalina Ballon Marin and Jane Steur 6-2 at No. 3 doubles.
Colorado College went up 3-1 by winning at No. 2, No. 3 and No. 5 singles. Maier pulled out a 7-5, 7-6 (7-1) win at No. 4 singles against Hickman, and Steur tied it by winning a third-set tiebreaker, 6-4, 4-6, 1-0 (10-5), against Lindsay Popeo.
Lowe held off Rodriguez 7-5, 6-4 at No. 2 singles, Aspen Young downed Brilhante 6-0, 7-5 at No. 3 and Lucia Moravek downed Catalina Ballon Marin 6-4, 7-5 at No. 5.
