Niklas Brandes and the Bobcats host Montana this weekend
Photo by: Kelly Gorham
MSU Netters Host Rivals on Saturday
9/18/2014 7:33:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Bobcats, Grizzlies get together in Bozeman
Montana State's men's tennis team makes its first home appearance of the 2014-15 season this weekend, hosting Montana in a Fall Mix-Up Friday afternoon and Saturday morning.
The teams get together in the Bobcat-Anderson Tennis Center at 4 pm Friday, and again at 9 am Saturday. Each team brings eight players to the first competition of the fall season.
"This will be a good event with the kind of quality competition we'll face next spring," said Bobcat coach Jared Burnham. "This gives us the opportunity to learn what we have by facing someone other than ourselves."
The Bobcats welcome three starters back from last season, including three-time All-Big Sky choice Niklas Brandes at No. 1 singles. Fellow senior Javier Martin Morillas and junior Harry James also return. Sophomore Aaron Farmer also returns.
Three newcomers bolster the Bobcats this year. Andre Napoliatano transfers to MSU from Texas Tech. The former top-ranked Brazilian junior player was as high as 136th in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) rankings at Texas Tech. Dylan Harvala from Missoula Hellgate, who starred in basketball as well as tennis for the Knights, comes to MSU as the state's top-ranked senior last spring according to Tennisrecruiting.net. So does Eric Fought, the 17th-ranked British Columbia U18 who qualified for the Vancouver Open Challenger by winning his club title then finishing third in the playoff with other area clubs.
"Our new players bring good experience and a good deal of talent," Burnham said. "Those three guys, and our returners, give us a chance to be tough from one through six."
The teams get together in the Bobcat-Anderson Tennis Center at 4 pm Friday, and again at 9 am Saturday. Each team brings eight players to the first competition of the fall season.
"This will be a good event with the kind of quality competition we'll face next spring," said Bobcat coach Jared Burnham. "This gives us the opportunity to learn what we have by facing someone other than ourselves."
The Bobcats welcome three starters back from last season, including three-time All-Big Sky choice Niklas Brandes at No. 1 singles. Fellow senior Javier Martin Morillas and junior Harry James also return. Sophomore Aaron Farmer also returns.
Three newcomers bolster the Bobcats this year. Andre Napoliatano transfers to MSU from Texas Tech. The former top-ranked Brazilian junior player was as high as 136th in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) rankings at Texas Tech. Dylan Harvala from Missoula Hellgate, who starred in basketball as well as tennis for the Knights, comes to MSU as the state's top-ranked senior last spring according to Tennisrecruiting.net. So does Eric Fought, the 17th-ranked British Columbia U18 who qualified for the Vancouver Open Challenger by winning his club title then finishing third in the playoff with other area clubs.
"Our new players bring good experience and a good deal of talent," Burnham said. "Those three guys, and our returners, give us a chance to be tough from one through six."
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