Cowgirl tennis ended their season 15-6 in a loss in the Mountain West Championship match Sunday against the New Mexico Lobos, 4-2. The season record marked the best winning season in Cowgirl history.
“Congratulations to New Mexico on a solid run at the Mountain West tournament title,” Cowgirls head coach Dean Clower told gowyo.com. “We wish them the best of luck at the NCAA tournament.”
Friday the fifth seed Cowgirls faced the fourth seed San Diego State Aztecs, overtaking them 4-3 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The victory marked the fifth consecutive year that the Cowgirls were semifinals bound.
Wyoming dropped the doubles point to San Diego State, losing the first point of the match. The only doubles victory for the Cowgirls came in the first slot, senior duo Alma Espinosa and Christa Gecheva won their doubles match 7-6 (9-7).
Losses in the second (6-4) and third (7-5) position gave the Aztecs the doubles point.
“I told the players after the doubles matches that this was a fist fight and we just got hit in the mouth,” coach Clower said. “The team responded by coming out with more energy, more grit and turned the match around.”
In singles, the Cowgirls were able to turn the match around with wins in the first, third, fourth and sixth singles slot. Bringing home the win for Wyoming in the final slot, senior Silviya Zhelyazkova defeated her Aztec opponent in a set of three 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, pushing the Cowgirls into the semi finals.
Saturday the Cowgirls made history, beating the top seeded Fresno State Bulldogs 4-3 and placing in the championship match for the first time in school history.
Wyoming took the doubles point with wins in the first and third slot from teams Espinosa and Gecheva 7-6 (9-7), and Jonas and Zhelyazkova 7-5.
In singles play, the Cowgirls dropped the first three matches but were able to pick it up in the final four slots. Behind 3-1, Parizher (7-5, 4-6, 6-3), Gecheva (6-4, 3-6, 6-1) and Zhelyazkova (4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-3)) set the Cowgirls up for a bid at the championship.
“This was one of the best tennis matches I have been a part of in my history of coaching or playing,” coach Clower said. “The best thing is we won and did it with our style of tennis. We talked with the team about how we wanted this match to be a flat out fight and we would win it our way because that’s who we are. Every person on this team competed their hearts out and deserve to have this victory.”
Sunday in the final championship match of the Mountain West Conference against the New Mexico Lobos, the Cowgirls conference run ended in a 4-2 loss.
“I can’t put into words how proud I am of our team for what they have done this year as student-athletes willing to sacrifice for the program and the university,” coach Clower said.
New Mexico pulled ahead early in the competition, gaining the doubles point in the first two matches.
The Lobos pulled the first point in singles. Jonas took down her opponent 6-4, 6-3, in the third slot, giving the Cowgirls their first point of the match. The second and final point to close out the Cowgirls conference run came from Parizher 6-3, 0-6, 7-5. The Lobos, taking the conference title, sank the two points from the Cowgirl seniors.
“Thank you to the four seniors who have been here and given us everything. They will forever be family and Cowgirls. Also thanks to the wonderful fans who made the trip down and pulled for us this weekend.”
