Bobcat Women Fight, But Fall to Jacks

Saturday, April 18

BOZEMAN

10:30 a.m.

Montana State University

Northern Arizona University

Sophomore Jessica Brycki won at No. 3 singles and combined with Laura Middel at No. 1 doubles where the tandem recorded a 6-3 victory over Northern Arizona on Saturday afternoon.

4/18/2015 5:20:00 PM | Women's Tennis

“We knew heading into the match that we needed the doubles point,” MSU Head Coach Denise Albrecht said. “I couldn’t be happier with the way we started. We were focused from the very first serve.”

By: Tom Schulz

Needing a victory to keep its hopes alive for a Big Sky Conference Tournament berth, the Montana State women's tennis team gave it all they had, but eventually fell in a hard-fought battle to Northern Arizona, 5-2, Saturday in the Bobcat-Anderson Tennis Center.

Montana State opened the match taking the doubles point with victories at Nos. 1 and 3. MSU's No. 3 tandem of Molly Crum and Angelina Philippova trailed 5-4, but rallied with three straight games to take a 7-5 win.

"We knew heading into the match that we needed the doubles point," MSU Head Coach Denise Albrecht said. "I couldn't be happier with the way we started. We were focused from the very first serve."

Northern Arizona evened the score at 1-1 with a straight set win at No. 2 singles as Hailey Rochin recorded a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Wanda Holopainen.

The next four singles matches went the full three sets.

NAU captured No. 1 singles as Johanna Vang rallied for a 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 win over Laura Middel to give the Lumberjacks a 2-1 advantage. Bobcat sophomore Jessica Brycki quickly helped MSU tie the match coming back from a 5-2 deficit in the third set to post a 7-6 win in a tiebreaker over Emelia Box.

NAU reclaimed a one-point lead as Jordan Denesik rallied for a 6-7, 6-4, 6-3 victory over Naomi Holopainen at No. 4 singles. The Lumberjacks then closed the door on MSU's postseason hopes as Marta Lewandowska recorded a 7-6 (7-5) tiebreak victory in the third set over Bobcat freshman Philippova. Sara Brown rounded out the final score with a 6-4, 7-6 win over Crum.

"I'm so proud of the way the girls battled," Albrecht said. "NAU is a very good team and we pushed them to the brink. Despite the outcome, this was our best tennis of the season. To have four matches go to three sets and to have four sets decided by tiebreakers is a good indicator of our efforts. However, we still came up short and that's disappointing.

"We have a team full of sophomores and one freshman and this is the first time many of them have had to face this type of pressure," Albrecht said. "We'll learn from this match, and hopefully, the next time we're in this situation we come out on top."

The Bobcats will close out its season hosting Weber State, Sunday at 10 a.m. in the Bobcat-Anderson Tennis Center. MSU will honor its lone senior Liana Bates prior to the match.

Northern Arizona 5, Montana State 2. Singles: 1. VANG, Johanna (NAU) def. MIDDEL, Laura (MSU) 5-7, 6-4, 6-3; 2. ROCHIN, Hailey (NAU) def. HOLOPAINEN, Wanda (MSU) 7-5, 6-4; 3. BRYCKI, Jessica (MSU) def. BOX, Emelia (NAU) 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (7-2); 4. DENESIK, Jordan (NAU) def. HOLOPAINEN, Naomi (MSU) 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 6-3; 5. LEWANDOWSKA, Marta (NAU) def. PHILIPPOVA, Angelina (MSU) 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5); 6. BROWN, Sara (NAU) def. CRUM, Molly (MSU) 6-4, 7-6 (7-1). Doubles: 1. MIDDEL, Laura/BRYCKI, Jessica (MSU) def. VANG, Johanna/LEWANDOWSKA, Marta (NAU) 6-3; 2. BOX, Emelia/ROCHIN, Hailey (NAU) def. BATES, Liana/HOLOPAINEN, Naomi (MSU) 6-3; 3. CRUM, Molly/PHILIPPOVA, Angelina (MSU) def. SPRUCH, Sarah Maria/HOLLOSY, Livia (NAU) 7-5