Saturday, March 28
Bozeman, MT
9 am
Montana State University
vs
Sacramento State
Niklas Brandes and the Bobcats face a pair of big home matches
Photo by: Kelly Gorham
Bobcats Host Sacramento State, NAU in Key Men's Tennis Matches
3/26/2015 9:58:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Montana State faces key weekend short-handed
Montana State faces an important Big Sky Conference weekend in a good news/bad news situation.
The bad news is obvious. MSU hosts two of the league's top four teams on a three-match losing streak, with one of its steadiest players, Harry James at No. 4 singles, likely shelved with ankle injury. The Bobcats host Sacramento State Saturday at 9 am at the Bobcat-Anderson Tennis Center, and squares off with Northern Arizona Sunday at 10 am.
"These are two very good teams, and they've playing extremely well right now," said Bobcat coach Jared Burnham. "NAU is really talented, and Sacramento State not only has talent but always seems to play well at this time of year."
The good news, though, can't be missed. The Cats stand 6-2 in the league standings as Big Sky schools begin jockeying for position in the six-team Big Sky tournament. And while the Bobcats face tough challenges against Sac State, NAU and Montana in closing out the conference season, the team also has some important wins in the bank.
Of Montana State's six conference wins, one is over 4-2 Idaho State and another is against 2-4 Eastern Washington. Those two teams appear positioned to challenge for the top six, so if the Bobcats stay even in the standings they would hold the tie-breaker. "There's a lot of season left to play so you don't want to focus on what's been done," Burnham said. "What is left to do is the most important. But I'm happy with the wins we have in the bank."
After this weekend's matches, MSU participates in an Alumni Match on April 3 at 5 pm before travelling to Idaho State for a non-league match on April 11. The Bobcats host Montana in the regular season finale on April 18 at 3 pm.
The bad news is obvious. MSU hosts two of the league's top four teams on a three-match losing streak, with one of its steadiest players, Harry James at No. 4 singles, likely shelved with ankle injury. The Bobcats host Sacramento State Saturday at 9 am at the Bobcat-Anderson Tennis Center, and squares off with Northern Arizona Sunday at 10 am.
"These are two very good teams, and they've playing extremely well right now," said Bobcat coach Jared Burnham. "NAU is really talented, and Sacramento State not only has talent but always seems to play well at this time of year."
The good news, though, can't be missed. The Cats stand 6-2 in the league standings as Big Sky schools begin jockeying for position in the six-team Big Sky tournament. And while the Bobcats face tough challenges against Sac State, NAU and Montana in closing out the conference season, the team also has some important wins in the bank.
Of Montana State's six conference wins, one is over 4-2 Idaho State and another is against 2-4 Eastern Washington. Those two teams appear positioned to challenge for the top six, so if the Bobcats stay even in the standings they would hold the tie-breaker. "There's a lot of season left to play so you don't want to focus on what's been done," Burnham said. "What is left to do is the most important. But I'm happy with the wins we have in the bank."
After this weekend's matches, MSU participates in an Alumni Match on April 3 at 5 pm before travelling to Idaho State for a non-league match on April 11. The Bobcats host Montana in the regular season finale on April 18 at 3 pm.
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