MSU Women's Tennis Team Earns First Victory of Season

Friday, January 29

Pullman, WA

9 a.m.

Montana State University

Washington State

Senior Laura VIillegas helped guide the Bobcats to their first win of the season in a 5-2 decision over Lewis-Clark State.

Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson

2/1/2010 3:35:08 PM | Women's Tennis

The Montana State women's tennis team picked up its first victory of the season with a 5-2 decision over Lewis-Clark State.

By: Tom Schulz

The Montana State women's tennis team posted its first win of the season with a 5-2 decision over Lewis-Clark State, Friday afternoon in Lewiston, Idaho.

Montana State (1-2) opened the match sweeping all three doubles contests to take a 1-0 advantage over the Warriors. MSU's No. 1 tandem of Ali Griffin and Laura Villegas set the pace for the Bobcats as they cruised to an 8-2 victory at the top spot.

“It's going to be crucial to win the doubles point this season,” said MSU head coach Denise Albrecht. “Against Lewis-Clark State, I thought we did a very nice job playing smart and competing.”

Montana State earned victories at the top three singles spots, and also received a hard-fought 6-2, 3-6, 10-7 win from Jennifer Coll at No. 5 singles to secure the win.

On Friday morning, the Bobcats dropped a 7-0 decision to Washington State at Hollingbery Fieldhouse.

WSU opened the match with the doubles point, winning at all three spots, including a tough 8-6 win over MSU's No. 2 duo of Ali Griffin and Laura Villegas.

The Cougars gave up just 11 games in singles play, sweeping all six spots. Villegas, playing at No. 1 singles put up a tough fight before falling to Liudmila Vasilieva 6-4, 6-1.

Montana State will travel to Colorado Springs, Colo., this weekend to face Air Force, UT-San Antonio and UMKC.

Montana State 5, Lewis-Clark State 2. Singles: 1. GRIFFIN, Ali (MSUW) def. CHONG, Dorothy (LCS) 6-1, 6-2; 2. VILLEGAS, Laura (MSUW) def. SCHULTZ, Ciara (LCS) 6-1, 6-2; 3. HJALMARSSON, Char. (MSUW) def. SMEDLEY, Megan (LCS) 6-2, 6-3; 4. MARSELA, Katharina (LCS) def. DE LA TORRE, Andrea (MSUW) 7-5, 6-0

5. COLL, Jennifer (MSUW) def. LEE, Elaine (LCS) 6-2, 3-6, 10-7; 6. GAY, Chelsea (LCS) def. FAIRBOTHAM, Lucy (MSUW) 6-2, 6-0. Doubles: 1. GRIFFIN, Ali/VILLEGAS, Laura (MSUW) def. CHONG, Dorothy/GAY, Chelsea (LCS) 8-2; 2. DE LA TORRE, Andrea/COLL, Jennifer (MSUW) def. SCHULTZ, Ciara/SNECKNER, Barb (LCS) 8-3; 3. HJALMARSSON, Char./FAIRBOTHAM, Lucy (MSUW) def. SMEDLEY, Megan/TEIGEN, Sammie (LCS) 9-8 (7-4)

Washington State 7, Montana State 0. Singles: No. 1 Liudmila Vasilieva (WSU) def. Laura Villegas (MSU) 6-4, 6-1; No. 2 Elisabeth Fournier (WSU) def. Charlotta Hjalmarsson (MSU) 6-1, 6-0; No. 3 Marina Nicolas (WSU) def. Andrea De La Torre (MSU) 6-1, 6-1; No. 4 Ksenia Googe (WSU) def. Jennifer Coll (MSU) 6-0, 6-0; No. 5 Andjela Kankaras (WSU) def. Lucy Fairbotham (MSU) 6-3, 6-0; No. 6 Lea Jansen (WSU) def. Zori Fossum (MSU) 6-1, 6-0. Doubles: No. 1 Lea Jansen/Elisabeth Fournier (WSU) def. Charlotta Hjalmarsson/Andrea De La Torre (MSU), 8-2; No. 2 Andjela Kankaras/Marina Nicolas (WSU) def. Ali Griffin/Laura Villegas (MSU), 8-6; No. 3 Jackie Owens/Ksenia Googe (WSU) def. Jennifer Coll/Lucy Fairbotham (MSU), 8-2.