Friday, February 12
11 am
Montana State University
1
at
6
at Weber State
Kellen Bates
Photo by: Brooks Nuanez
Men's Tennis Team Drops League Opener at Weber State
2/12/2016 3:13:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Veteran Wildcats earns hard-fought win
Jared Burnham ran into a buzz-saw Friday, and it was to some degree of his own doing.
Facing a Weber State men's tennis team picked to finish first in the Big Sky Conference, the Cats dropped a 6-1 decision in Ogden. The Wildcats' senior class was recruited by Burnham when he was WSU's head coach, and he knew the degree of difficulty Friday's match presented.
"They're a talented team, but they have so much quality experience," Burnham said. "I honestly think we're getting better and that we're not that far away from playing at that level, but experience has to be acquired. You can't fake your way to that."
The Bobcats stormed out of the gates to claim the doubles point. After Weber State took the first doubles match at No. 3, Alexander Flink and Harry James combined for a 6-4 win at No. 1. It was the second straight doubles victory for the two. Rok Sitar and Kellen Bates clinched the point with a 6-4 win at No. 2.
"We really took a step forward in doubles and played well," Burnham said. "In singles play, though, we need to be tougher and more resilient. That will come with experience, but right now that's a factor."
Weber State swept the Bobcats in singles play, although the visitors put up a fight. Two of the six matches went three sets (Sitar at No. 4 and Dylan Harvala at No. 6), while James dropped a 7-5, 6-4 decision at No. 3.
Burnham remains plenty optimistic about the future of his third Bobcat squad. "The guys are working hard," he said. "They'll get there. This is a good team and a good bunch of individuals."
Montana State's league-opening road trip continues Saturday morning when the Bobcats face Idaho State at 9 am in Pocatello.
Weber State 6, Montana State 1
February 12, 2016, at Ogden, UT
Singles competition
1. GEWERT, Jakub (WSU) def. BATES, Kellen (MSU) 7-5, 6-1
2. FOUGHT, Todd (WSU) def. FLINK, Alexander (MSU) 6-4, 6-1
3. COOPER, Stefan (WSU) def. JAMES, Harry (MSU) 7-5, 6-4
4. CHEN, Hou-En (WSU) def. SITAR, Rok (MSU) 6-4, 4-6, 10-6
5. BARLOW, Landon (WSU) def. EDGECOMBE, Charles (MSU) 6-2, 6-1
6. GOSWAMI, Sanjay (WSU) def. HARVALA, Dylan (MSU) 6-7, 7-5, 10-4
Doubles competition
1. FLINK, Alexander/JAMES, Harry (MSU) def. GOSWAMI, Sanjay/COOPER, Stefan (WSU) 6-4
2. SITAR, Rok/BATES, Kellen (MSU) def. GEWERT, Jakub/FOUGHT, Todd (WSU) 6-4
3. BARLOW, Landon/CHEN, Hou-En (WSU) def. HARVALA, Dylan/CEOLIN, Mateus (MSU) 6-2
Order of finish
Doubles: 3-1-2, Singles: 2-3-5-1-4-6
Facing a Weber State men's tennis team picked to finish first in the Big Sky Conference, the Cats dropped a 6-1 decision in Ogden. The Wildcats' senior class was recruited by Burnham when he was WSU's head coach, and he knew the degree of difficulty Friday's match presented.
"They're a talented team, but they have so much quality experience," Burnham said. "I honestly think we're getting better and that we're not that far away from playing at that level, but experience has to be acquired. You can't fake your way to that."
The Bobcats stormed out of the gates to claim the doubles point. After Weber State took the first doubles match at No. 3, Alexander Flink and Harry James combined for a 6-4 win at No. 1. It was the second straight doubles victory for the two. Rok Sitar and Kellen Bates clinched the point with a 6-4 win at No. 2.
"We really took a step forward in doubles and played well," Burnham said. "In singles play, though, we need to be tougher and more resilient. That will come with experience, but right now that's a factor."
Weber State swept the Bobcats in singles play, although the visitors put up a fight. Two of the six matches went three sets (Sitar at No. 4 and Dylan Harvala at No. 6), while James dropped a 7-5, 6-4 decision at No. 3.
Burnham remains plenty optimistic about the future of his third Bobcat squad. "The guys are working hard," he said. "They'll get there. This is a good team and a good bunch of individuals."
Montana State's league-opening road trip continues Saturday morning when the Bobcats face Idaho State at 9 am in Pocatello.
Weber State 6, Montana State 1
February 12, 2016, at Ogden, UT
Singles competition
1. GEWERT, Jakub (WSU) def. BATES, Kellen (MSU) 7-5, 6-1
2. FOUGHT, Todd (WSU) def. FLINK, Alexander (MSU) 6-4, 6-1
3. COOPER, Stefan (WSU) def. JAMES, Harry (MSU) 7-5, 6-4
4. CHEN, Hou-En (WSU) def. SITAR, Rok (MSU) 6-4, 4-6, 10-6
5. BARLOW, Landon (WSU) def. EDGECOMBE, Charles (MSU) 6-2, 6-1
6. GOSWAMI, Sanjay (WSU) def. HARVALA, Dylan (MSU) 6-7, 7-5, 10-4
Doubles competition
1. FLINK, Alexander/JAMES, Harry (MSU) def. GOSWAMI, Sanjay/COOPER, Stefan (WSU) 6-4
2. SITAR, Rok/BATES, Kellen (MSU) def. GEWERT, Jakub/FOUGHT, Todd (WSU) 6-4
3. BARLOW, Landon/CHEN, Hou-En (WSU) def. HARVALA, Dylan/CEOLIN, Mateus (MSU) 6-2
Order of finish
Doubles: 3-1-2, Singles: 2-3-5-1-4-6
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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