PUEBLO, Colo. (Sept. 20, 2021) – The Colorado State University Pueblo team competed in its first competitions of the 2021-22 season this past weekend as the ThunderWolves hosted Fort Hays State University, the University of Nebraska-Kearney and Dallas Baptist University. Unfortunately for the hosts, the Pack dropped each team match.
Match 1 | CSU Pueblo 0 – Nebraska-Kearney 7
CSU Pueblo kicked off the day with a tough loss to Nebraska-Kearney.
UNK jumped on the Pack early. At no. 1, Hamilton and Blasdale fell 6-1 with Wells and Cordova falling 6-1 at no. 2. Nebraska-Kearney earned the doubles sweep over Sena and Pendon at no. 3 to clinch the 1-0 advantage.
Unfortunately for the Pack, UNK kept its foot on the pedal. Hamilton fell at no. 1, 6-2, 6-1 as Blasdale dropped at no. 2, 6-0, 6-0. Sena, Cordova, and Bustamante each fell in straight sets, 6-0, 6-0 at no. 3, no. 4, and no. 5, respectively. Wells tried to get something going but fell at no. 6, 6-1, 6-0 to give UNK the 7-0 win.
Match 2 | CSU Pueblo 1 – Forts Hays State 6
The ThunderWolves had another challenging match against Fort Hays State
In doubles play, Kali Hamilton and Tilly Blasdale gave the Pack an advantage to begin the day with a 6-4 win at no. 1 doubles. Unfortunately at no. 2 doubles, Roma Cordova and Alyssa Wells fell 6-1 followed by Marissa Sena and Melaya Pendon losing a heartbreaking 7-5 match at no. 3. Following the tightly contested doubles point, the Tigers held a 1-0 advantage heading into singles play.
At no. 1 singles, Hamilton went down in straight sets 6-2, 6-1 to the Tigers' opponent. Sena and Cordova unfortunately saw the same results by falling at no. 2 and no. 3, 6-0, 6-0 and 6-1, 6-1, respectively.
Wells was able to put the Pack on the board with a three-set victory at no. 4, emerging victorious 1-6, 6-0, 10-5.
The Tigers were able to keep rolling and finished off the match soon after the Wells victory at no. 4. Pendon fell at no. 5, 6-1, 6-1 while sophomore Sonrisa Bustmante dropped a challenging three-set match at no. 6, 6-4, 3-6, 10-6.
The Pack fell 6-1 in the weekend's opening match.
Match 3 | CSU Pueblo 0 – Dallas Baptist 7
The Pack finished off its weekend with another match against Dallas Baptist. Dallas Baptist clinched a 7-0 win against CSU Pueblo to finish off their opening weekend.
CSU Pueblo was swept at doubles with the same pairs as the matches before. Hamilton and Blasdale fell 6-0 as the duos of Wells and Cordova and Sena and Pendon fell 6-1 at no. 2 and no. 3, respectively.
Heading into singles play trailing 1-0, the Pack needed a surge. The Patriots refused to let that happen. The Pack had Hamilton at no. 1 as she fell 6-4, 6-1 and then had Blasdale dropping in straight sets at no. 2 in a tough 6-0, 6-1 match.
Sena fell 6-2, 6-1 at no. 3 and was followed by Cordova falling at no. 4, 6-0, 6-0. The Pack would not have a change in luck as the Patriots finished out by defeating Wells 6-1, 6-1 and Bustamante 6-3, 6-3 at no. 5 and no. 6.
The Pack had a challenging weekend with the three losses but will look to turn it around come the spring season. The ThunderWolves have concluded its fall season with the three-match slate but will be back in action Jan. 29 when they host the University of New Mexico, the Air Force Academy, and Colorado College.
