March 6, 2010

By Justin Warren
Athletic Media Relations

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The Colorado State tennis team snapped its five-match losing streak Saturday night inside Miramont Lifestyle Fitness South with a 5-2 victory over the Saint Louis Billikens.

With the Rams leading 2-1, and four singles matches still going, it appeared the contest could go in favor of either team. But junior Caitlin Fluegge endured a long three-setter and came out on top at the No. 3 singles position to spark momentum for the Rams. Moments later, Melissa Holzinger clinched the match for CSU (4-6, 0-0 Mountain West) at the No. 6 singles position.

“The team found a way to win today and that is kind of what we had not been doing,” Head Coach Jon Messick said. “The team came together and found a way to win the last point in the matches they had to win. It feels good to get back into the win column. The most important thing is how we played and how we did it.”

The Rams began competition by accomplishing a task they had not achieved since Jan. 30 against Portland State, earning the doubles point. At No. 1 doubles, senior Laura Neal and Fluegge defeated Hailee Elmore and Casey Miller of Saint Louis, 8-2, and Lauren Mulhern and Veronika Wojakowska earned a tight 8-6 victory over Sarah Septien and Kasia Tomalak at No. 3. Tori Arneson and Holzinger prevailed in a tiebreaker match at No. 2, 8-7 (4), over Jen Nalepa and Mia Elmore.

For quite a while, the match appeared to favor neither team. When Fluegge dropped her first set, 3-6, to Septien, it looked as if Saint Louis (5-4, 0-0 Atlantic 10) could gain momentum. But Fluegge was able to bounce back and win the second set 6-3, and then come from behind in the third set to take the contest, 6-4, and the victory at No.3.

Holzinger clinched the CSU by defeating Caitlin McKenna in two sets, 6-1, 6-2, at No. 6.

Mulhern lost to Mia Elmore in two sets, 6-1, 6-2, but Wojakowska concluded the contest with a long, enduring three-set win, 7-6 (7), 3-6, 6-3, at No. 4

CSU will return to action on March 15, against Cal State Fullerton in Fullerton, Calif.

The Rams will not return home, where they are currently undefeated, until their conference match against BYU on April 8, likely outdoors at the same Miramont facility.

Saturday’s results

Singles
No. 1: Hailee Elmore (SLU) def. Laura Neal (CSU), 6-2, 6-1
No. 2: Tori Arneson (CSU) def. Casey Miller (SLU), 6-3, 6-3
No. 3: Caitlin Fluegge (CSU) def. Sarah Septien (SLU), 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
No. 4: Veronika Wojakowska (CSU) def. Jenny Nalepa (SLU), 7-6 (7), 3-6, 6-3
No. 5: Mia Elmore (SLU) def. Lauren Mulhern (CSU), 6-1, 6-2
No. 6: Melissa Holzinger (CSU) def. Caitlin McKenna (SLU), 6-1, 6-2

Doubles
No. 1: Neal/Fluegge (CSU) def. Hailee Elmore/Miller (SLU), 8-2
No. 2: Arneson/Holzinger (CSU) def. Mia Elmore/Nalepa (SLU), 8-7 (4)
No. 3: Mulhern/Wojakowska (CSU) def. Septien/Tomalak (SLU), 8-6