NEW YORK – The 71st-ranked Columbia women's tennis team got back into the win column on Wednesday evening with a 4-2 win over Denver at the Philip & Cheryl Milstein Family Tennis Center.
After falling to the Pioneers (6-9) in the doubles matches, the Lions (9-6) got the win thanks to strong play in the singles matches.
 
Denver took the early lead, thanks to a pair of wins in the doubles point. DU's Andrea Beltran and Marley Lampert defeated Columbia's duo of Fatima Keita and Malak El Allami, 6-0, in the ones. Sophia Wang and Emily Baek soundly defeated the Pioneers' duo of Hana Novak/Natalie Cinkova, 6-1, to even things up 1-1. Denver claimed the point when Louise Wikander and Claudia Velasco defeated Gayathri Krishnan and Sophia Strugnell 6-2.
 
El Allami and Baek got the momentum back in the Lions favor with straight sets wins to open the singles matches. El Allami took down Andrea Beltran 6-4, 6-1 in the No. 1 spot, while Baek defeated Novak 7-5, 6-2 at the No. 5 spot. Krishnan moved Columbia one point closer to winning with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Louise Wikander in the No. 2 spot.
 
Denver got a point back when Cinkova defeated Salma Farhat 7-6, 6-4 at the No. 6 spot. Winta Tewolde clinched the team victory with a stellar finish, defeating Marly Lambert 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 at the No. 4 spot. Sophia Wang's match against Claudia Velasco went unfinished.

RESULTS
#71 Columbia 4, Denver 2

Singles
1. Malak El Allami (COL) def. Andrea Beltran (DU) 6-4, 6-1
2. Gayathri Krishnan (COL) def. Louise Wikander (DU) 6-4, 6-3
3. Sophia Wang (COL) vs. Claudia Velasco (DU) 6-4, 4-6, 0-1 unfinished
4. Winta Tewolde (COL) def. Marley Lambert (DU) 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
5. Emily Baek (COL) def. Hana Novak (DU) 7-5, 6-2
6. Natalie Cinkova (DU) def. Salma Farhat (COL) 7-6, 6-4
 
Doubles
1. Andrea Beltran/Marley Lambert (DU) def. Fatima Keita/Malak El Allami (COL) 6-0
2. Louise Wikander/Claudia Velasco (DU) def. Gayathri Krishnan/Sophia Strugnell (COL) 6-2
3. Sophia Wang/Emily Baek (COL) def. Hana Novak/Natalie Cinkova (DU) 6-1
 
Order of finish: Doubles (1,3,2); Singles (1,5,2,6,4)
 
UP NEXT
Columbia begins Ivy League play on Saturday, March 29 when they travel to Ithica to take on Cornell at the Reis Tennis Center. The match is scheduled to begin at Noon.

FOLLOWING THE LIONS
Stay up to date on all things Columbia Women's Tennis by following the Lions on Twitter (@CULionsWTEN), Instagram (@culionswten) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaAthletics).