No. 48 Sacramento State Ends Bobcat Season

Saturday, April 23

4 p.m.

Montana State University

Sacramento State

Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson

4/23/2011 10:06:49 PM | Women's Tennis

Ten-time defending Big Sky Conference champion Sacramento State ended Montana State’s season with a 4-0 win over the Bobcats, Friday night in the semifinals of the league tournament in the Bobcat-Anderson Tennis Center.

By: Tom Schulz

Ten-time defending Big Sky Conference champion Sacramento State ended Montana State's season with a 4-0 win over the Bobcats, Friday night in the semifinals of the league tournament in the Bobcat-Anderson Tennis Center.

The Hornets captured victories at Nos. 2 and 3 doubles to earn the first point of the match. Sacramento State then cruised to straight set wins at Nos. 2, 3 and 4 singles to move onto Sunday's championship match.

“We can hold our heads high,” said MSU head coach Denise Albrecht. “We had the attitude of go big or go home- you have to do that against a team of Sacramento State's caliber.

“We're sad the season is over,” Albrecht said. “They enjoyed being together and they were playing their best tennis. They did everything we asked of them.”

MSU's No. 1 singles standout Char Hjalmarsson dropped her first set Sacramento State's Tatsiana Kapshai, before taking a 3-2 advantage in the second set prior to the match being called.

Junior Andrea De La Torre held a 2-0 margin at the No. 5 spot as the match was called following Ellie Crum's 6-2, 6-2 loss at No. 4 singles to secure the win for the Hornets.

“Char and Andrea were playing great tennis,” Albrecht said. “They are the leaders of this team and they had super performances.”

MSU finishes the season 8-11 overall and 5-3 in Big Sky Conference action. The Bobcats have no seniors on the team and will welcome back junior Jennifer Coll, who missed the last half of the season due to a shoulder injury.

Sacramento State 4, Montana State 0

Singles: 1. KAPSHAI, Tatsiana (SAC) vs. HJALMARSSON, Char (MSU-W) 6-3, 2-3, unfinished; 2. DELGADO, Rebeca (SAC) def. TSAN, Wena (MSU-W) 6-0, 6-1; 3. MELIUK, Maria (SAC) def. LOPEZ, Paulina (MSU-W) 6-0, 6-0; 4. BACA, Clarisse (SAC) def. CRUM, Ellie (MSU-W) 6-2, 6-2; 5. LOHSCHEIDT, Sophie (SAC) vs. DE LA TORRE, Andrea (MSU-W) 0-2, unfinished; 6. ZIVANOVIC, Milica (SAC) vs. FAIRBOTHAM, Lucy (MSU-W) 0-0, unfinished. Doubles: 1. KAPSHAI, Tatsiana/DELGADO, Rebeca (SAC) vs. HJALMARSSON, Char/LOPEZ, Paulina (MSU-W) 7-4, unfinished; 2. MELIUK, Maria/BACA, Clarisse (SAC) def. DE LA TORRE, Andrea/CRUM, Ellie (MSU-W) 8-0; 3. LOHSCHEIDT, Sophie/ZIVANOVIC, Milica (SAC) def. TSAN, Wena/VILLEGAS, Gabi (MSU-W) 8-2.