Friday, April 15
11 am
Montana State University
4
vs
0
Portland State
Harry James
Photo by: Kelly Gorham
Bobcats Dispatch Portland State, Move Nearer Post-Season Berth
4/15/2016 4:33:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Harry James led the charge on his Senior Day
It got late early in the Bobcat-Anderson Tennis Center Friday.
Montana State won the doubles point then took the first three singles matches in short order on its way to a 4-0 win over Portland State in an important Big Sky Conference contest. The win boosts MSU to 5-3 in the Big Sky standings and gives the Cats a firm grip on the final spot in the conference tournament in two weeks. A Vikings loss at Montana on Saturday or a single MSU victory in its final three outings gives the Bobcats a post-season berth.
But Friday's proceedings were all about getting a regular season victory, and celebrating the career of Harry James, the team's lone senior. And it was James who got things rolling. His doubles win, with Alex Flink, gave the Bobcats one point. Then he set the course in the singles match with an easy 6-1, 6-1 victory over Brent Wheeler.
"I tried to approach it like any other match," James said, "but the last couple of points I tried to let (emotion) not get the better of me. We were pretty pumped up (as a team), especially after doubles when we got together and said some things."
James described his match as "pretty quick, really," and that applies to the team competition, as well. After James' win, Rok Sitar followed with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Wil Cochrane. Flink wrapped things up with a 7-5, 6-2 triumph to give MSU the team win.
"Harry played great," said Bobcat coach Jared Burnham. "Alex played well against a guy that doesn't miss and that gives you a lot of different kinds of shots to play. It's hard to get into a rhythm, and Alex did a good job."
Montana State plays at Montana on Sunday at noon before heading to Southern Utah (April 22) and Northern Arizona (April 23) to close the regular season.
Montana State 4, Portland State 0
April 15, 2016 at Bozeman, MT (Bobcat-Anderson Tennis Center)
Singles competition
1. BONIEL, Nathan (PSU) vs. BATES, Kellen (MSU) no result
2. FLINK, Alexander (MSU) def. LOPEZ, Ethan (PSU) 7-5, 6-2
3. JAMES, Harry (MSU) def. WHEELER, Brent (PSU) 6-1, 6-1
4. SITAR, Rok (MSU) def. COCHRANE, Wil (PSU) 6-2, 6-4
5. RISENHOOVER, Ian (PSU) vs. CEOLIN, Mateus (MSU) no result
6. RISENHOOVER, Russell (PSU) vs. HARVALA, Dylan (MSU) no result
Doubles competition
1. FLINK, Alexander/JAMES, Harry (MSU) def. LOPEZ, Ethan/WHEELER, Brent (PSU) 6-2
2. COCHRANE, Wil/RISENHOOVER, Ian (PSU) vs. BATES, Kellen/CEOLIN, Mateus (MSU) no result
3. HARVALA, Dylan/SITAR, Rok (MSU) def. BONIEL, Nathan/RISENHOOVER, Russell (PSU) 6-2
Records: Portland State 11-8/5-5 Big Sky, Montana State 5-10/5-3 Big Sky
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (3,4,2)
Match Notes: Bates-Ceolin (MSU) led 5-3 at No. 2 doubles, Bates trailed 6-4, 4-6, 1-4 at No. 1 singles, Ceolin tied 3-3 and Harvala tied 1-1 when matches were left unfinished
Montana State won the doubles point then took the first three singles matches in short order on its way to a 4-0 win over Portland State in an important Big Sky Conference contest. The win boosts MSU to 5-3 in the Big Sky standings and gives the Cats a firm grip on the final spot in the conference tournament in two weeks. A Vikings loss at Montana on Saturday or a single MSU victory in its final three outings gives the Bobcats a post-season berth.
But Friday's proceedings were all about getting a regular season victory, and celebrating the career of Harry James, the team's lone senior. And it was James who got things rolling. His doubles win, with Alex Flink, gave the Bobcats one point. Then he set the course in the singles match with an easy 6-1, 6-1 victory over Brent Wheeler.
"I tried to approach it like any other match," James said, "but the last couple of points I tried to let (emotion) not get the better of me. We were pretty pumped up (as a team), especially after doubles when we got together and said some things."
James described his match as "pretty quick, really," and that applies to the team competition, as well. After James' win, Rok Sitar followed with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Wil Cochrane. Flink wrapped things up with a 7-5, 6-2 triumph to give MSU the team win.
"Harry played great," said Bobcat coach Jared Burnham. "Alex played well against a guy that doesn't miss and that gives you a lot of different kinds of shots to play. It's hard to get into a rhythm, and Alex did a good job."
Montana State plays at Montana on Sunday at noon before heading to Southern Utah (April 22) and Northern Arizona (April 23) to close the regular season.
Montana State 4, Portland State 0
April 15, 2016 at Bozeman, MT (Bobcat-Anderson Tennis Center)
Singles competition
1. BONIEL, Nathan (PSU) vs. BATES, Kellen (MSU) no result
2. FLINK, Alexander (MSU) def. LOPEZ, Ethan (PSU) 7-5, 6-2
3. JAMES, Harry (MSU) def. WHEELER, Brent (PSU) 6-1, 6-1
4. SITAR, Rok (MSU) def. COCHRANE, Wil (PSU) 6-2, 6-4
5. RISENHOOVER, Ian (PSU) vs. CEOLIN, Mateus (MSU) no result
6. RISENHOOVER, Russell (PSU) vs. HARVALA, Dylan (MSU) no result
Doubles competition
1. FLINK, Alexander/JAMES, Harry (MSU) def. LOPEZ, Ethan/WHEELER, Brent (PSU) 6-2
2. COCHRANE, Wil/RISENHOOVER, Ian (PSU) vs. BATES, Kellen/CEOLIN, Mateus (MSU) no result
3. HARVALA, Dylan/SITAR, Rok (MSU) def. BONIEL, Nathan/RISENHOOVER, Russell (PSU) 6-2
Records: Portland State 11-8/5-5 Big Sky, Montana State 5-10/5-3 Big Sky
Order of finish: Doubles (3,1); Singles (3,4,2)
Match Notes: Bates-Ceolin (MSU) led 5-3 at No. 2 doubles, Bates trailed 6-4, 4-6, 1-4 at No. 1 singles, Ceolin tied 3-3 and Harvala tied 1-1 when matches were left unfinished
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