COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Colorado State University women's tennis team opened its 2024-25 season here this weekend by competing in the Colorado College Invitational held at Memorial Park.
 
Several Pack players advanced to the semifinals of their respective flights, including their top doubles team of sophomore Mariangel Nunez (Weston, Fla./Educativa "Padre Claret") and junior Margot Aebischer (Etupes, France/Eastern Arizona College) in the 'A' doubles draw, while Nunez fell in the consolation final of the 'A' single draw to CC's Avery Hickman in straight sets (6-4, 6-0). Nunez advanced to the consolation final after a nearly three-hour-long consolation semifinal match against Colorado Mesa's Jade Brilhante (6-4, 6-7 (4-7), 10-4).
 
In the 'A' double draw, Nunez and Aebischer won their quarterfinal match over Colorado Mesa's duo of Brilhante and Devyn Rodriguez (6-3), before falling the semifinals to CC's tandem of Kala Komanduri and Amelia Karr (6-3).
 
Meanwhile, in the 'B' doubles draw, seniors Marta Garcia (Alcala de Hernares, Spain/Cardinal Stritch) and Valentina Brienza (Rionero in Vulture, Italy/University of the District of Columbia) fell 7-5 in the opening round to CC's duo of Marina Seidl and Meredith Waters, before succumbing in the consolation round 7-5.
 
In the 'B' singles draw, Garcia and Aebischer each won their first-round matches before falling in the semifinals. Garcia opened with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Colorado Mesa's Catalina Ballon, before falling 6-1, 6-1 in the semifinals to MSU Denver's Monica Guarin, while Aebischer picked up a hard-fought 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) first round match win over MSU Denver's Kinsey Lockhart, before falling in the semifinals (6-2, 7-5) to MSU Denver's Louise Hosking.
 
The final three Pack competitors all played in the 'C' singles draw as freshman MaKayla Martinez (Pueblo, Colo./Pueblo County) as she had an impressive first college match in the "C" draw singles as she fell in a third-set tiebreaker to Hastings College's Paige Wilcoxson, 3-6, 7-5, 9-11 and then fell in the consolation quarterfinals to Abigail Williams, 6-1, 6-4.
 
Sophomore Yelena Travica (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Maples Collegiate) fell 6-3, 6-2 to Hastings' Victoria Harris in the Round of 16, while senior Malaya Pendon (Pueblo, Colo./Pueblo East) opened the Round of 16 with a 7-5, 6-2 loss to Colorado Mesa's Taylor Nokes, before falling a third set tiebreaker in the consolation quarterfinals to Hastings' Cara Ansbach (2-6, 7-5, 4-10) and then she defeated Hastings' Lexi Benson in the semifinals, 6-1, 7-5.
 
The Pack will return to action next weekend as they will play three home dual matches at the Pueblo City Park Tennis Complex in 24 hours as they will open the weekend with an 8 a.m. match on Friday, Sept. 13 against Lubbock Christian, before hosting Nebraska-Kearney at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 13 and concluding the homestand with an 8 a.m. match on Saturday, Sept. 14 against Fort Hays State.