Bobcat Netmen Wrap Up Spring Trip

Tuesday, March 16

Los Angeles, CA

1:30 pm

Montana State University

Loyola Marymount

Alberto Fuentes returns to Bozeman riding a four-match singles winning streak

Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson

3/17/2010 9:15:28 AM | Men's Tennis

Montana State finished its California swing with a 1-2 record against outstanding competition

By: Bill Lamberty

Montana State dropped the final two matches its spring break trip to California, but Bobcat coach Mike Phillips said the trip stands as a positive for his team as it prepares for the second half of its season.

“We lost a couple of tough matches (Monday and Tuesday), but we got a win (on Sunday) and competed hard,” Phillips said. “We played well at times, and we'll keep working hard.”

MSU's 1-2 road trip opened with a win at UC Riverside before falling to fifth-ranked (NAIA) Azusa Pacific (6-3, under NAIA scoring rules) and Loyolay Marymount (5-2). “Azusa Pacific is a very talented NAIA team and we just dug ourselves too big a hole,” Phillips said. “We played better against Loyola Marymount, but losing the doubles point made it an uphill climb.”

Senior Corey Smith emerged as one of the weekend's bright spots. After battling through an injury during the early part of the season, Smith won back-to-back singles matches against Azusa Pacific and Loyola Marymount. Smith battled back from a game one loss to post a 0-6, 6-3, 6-0 win over Loyola Marymount's Borja Malet. “Corey is getting healthy, and that's a great sign,” Phillips said. “Alberto Fuentes got the game ball for (his play against Loyola), and he's on a four-match winning streak.”

The Bobcats take next weekend off before traveling to Boise, Idaho, for matches against Boise State and UC Santa Barbara the first weekend in April.

Azusa Pacific 6, Montana State 3 – March 15 at APU

SINGLES MATCHES

1. Janosch Apelt (APU) def. Pawel Turzanski (MSU) 6-2, 6-3

2. Matthijs Bolsius (APU) def. Fletcher Keyes (MSU) 6-2, 6-2

3. Corey Smith (MSU) def. Alex Lane (APU) 7-6, 6-1

4. Alberto Fuentes (MSU) def. Jochem Hoefnagels (APU) 6-4, 6-4

5. Esteban Ferrero (MSU) def. Danny colten (APU) 7-5, 7-6

6. Lija Ikonnikov (APU) def. Myles Perkins (MSU) 6-2, 6-1

DOUBLES MATCHES

1. Matthijs Bolsius/Jochem Hoefnagels (APU) def. Alberto Fuentes/Fletcher Keyes (MSU) 8-2

2. Janosch Apelt/Mathias Weber (APU) def. Corey Smith/Pawel Turzanski (MSU) 9-8