Friday, April 15
BOZEMAN
3 p.m.
Montana State University
7
vs
0
Eastern Washington
MSU's Shelby Cerkovnik won at No. 6 singles on Friday night with a 6-1, 6-0, over Eastern Washington's Katrina Domingo.
Photo by: Kelly Gorham
Bobcat Women Clip Eagles; Clinch Big Sky Conference Tournament Berth
4/15/2016 7:09:00 PM | Women's Tennis
All week Montana State women’s tennis head coach Jon Reeves and the Bobcats talked about what was on the line heading in to Friday’s match against Eastern Washington.
All week Montana State women's tennis head coach Jon Reeves and the Bobcats talked about what was on the line heading in to Friday's match against Eastern Washington.
A win over the Eagles would clinch a Big Sky Conference Tournament berth for MSU, while a loss would put the Bobcats on the bubble.
Montana State's focus paid-off as MSU rolled to a 7-0 win over Eastern Washington, Friday night in the Bobcat-Anderson Tennis Center.
"I'm super proud of the team," Reeves said. "We're playing our best tennis at the most important time of the season."
Montana State (8-14, 6-5) opened the match with decisive victories at Nos. 2 and 3 doubles to earn the first point of the contest. Despite having captured the opening point, drama unfolded at the top spot as Montana State's Laura Middel and Naomi Holopainen fought back from a 4-1 deficit to post a 7-5 win. With the victory, the Bobcat duo went undefeated in Big Sky Conference play with an 11-0 record- a first in MSU history.
"Our No. 1 team has been tremendous all season," Reeves said. "Things were a little different in this match as they got down three games, but they dug-in and competed and came out on top. Going undefeated at No. 1 doubles in any conference is a huge achievement."
MSU quickly went up 3-0 as Naomi Holopainen and Angelina Philippova won in straight sets at Nos. 2 and 4 singles, respectively. Middel clinched the match for the Bobcats posting a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Eastern Washington's (11-10, 5-5) Janaya Smith at the top spot.
Shelby Cerkovnik pushed MSU's advantage to 4-0 with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Katrina Domingo at No. 6 singles, before Jessica Brycki, who has been hampered with injuries, gutted-out a 2-6, 7-5, 7-6(5) decision at No. 3 singles over Faye Worrall. Wanda Holopainen closed-out the sweep with a 10-8 tiebreak win at No. 5 singles.
"We took the mindset of being in it for the long haul in singles play," Reeves said. "Eastern Washington is a good team, but we just competed extremely well and came away with a solid team win."
MSU will play at the Big Sky Conference Tournament, April 29 – May 1 in Sacramento, Calif.
Montana State 7, Eastern Washington 0
Singles:
1. MIDDEL, Laura (MSU) def. SMITH, Janaya (EWU) 6-4, 6-4
2. HOLOPAINEN, Naomi (MSU) def. HEDBERG, Moira (EWU) 6-1, 6-0
3. BRYCKI, Jessica (MSU) def. WORRALL, Faye (EWU) 2-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-5)
4. PHILIPPOVA, Angelina (MSU) def. BLESSING, Erin (EWU) 6-2, 6-0
5. HOLOPAINEN, Wanda (MSU) def. SWINDELL, Rachel (EWU) 3-6, 6-2, 10-8
6. CERKOVNIK, Shelby (MSU) def. DOMINGO, Katrina (EWU) 6-1, 6-0
Doubles:
1. MIDDEL, Laura/HOLOPAINEN, Naomi (MSU) def. SMITH, Janaya/WORRALL, Faye (EWU) 7-5
2. BRYCKI, Jessica/HOLOPAINEN, Wanda (MSU) def. HEDBERG, Moira/SWINDELL, Rachel (EWU) 6-0
3. PHILIPPOVA, Angelina/CERKOVNIK, Shelby (MSU) def. BLESSING, Erin/DOMINGO, Katrina (EWU) 6-0
Eastern Washington 11-10, 5-5 BSC
Montana State 8-14, 6-5 BSC
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (2,4,1,6,3,5)
T-3:00 A-75
A win over the Eagles would clinch a Big Sky Conference Tournament berth for MSU, while a loss would put the Bobcats on the bubble.
Montana State's focus paid-off as MSU rolled to a 7-0 win over Eastern Washington, Friday night in the Bobcat-Anderson Tennis Center.
"I'm super proud of the team," Reeves said. "We're playing our best tennis at the most important time of the season."
Montana State (8-14, 6-5) opened the match with decisive victories at Nos. 2 and 3 doubles to earn the first point of the contest. Despite having captured the opening point, drama unfolded at the top spot as Montana State's Laura Middel and Naomi Holopainen fought back from a 4-1 deficit to post a 7-5 win. With the victory, the Bobcat duo went undefeated in Big Sky Conference play with an 11-0 record- a first in MSU history.
"Our No. 1 team has been tremendous all season," Reeves said. "Things were a little different in this match as they got down three games, but they dug-in and competed and came out on top. Going undefeated at No. 1 doubles in any conference is a huge achievement."
MSU quickly went up 3-0 as Naomi Holopainen and Angelina Philippova won in straight sets at Nos. 2 and 4 singles, respectively. Middel clinched the match for the Bobcats posting a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Eastern Washington's (11-10, 5-5) Janaya Smith at the top spot.
Shelby Cerkovnik pushed MSU's advantage to 4-0 with a 6-1, 6-0 win over Katrina Domingo at No. 6 singles, before Jessica Brycki, who has been hampered with injuries, gutted-out a 2-6, 7-5, 7-6(5) decision at No. 3 singles over Faye Worrall. Wanda Holopainen closed-out the sweep with a 10-8 tiebreak win at No. 5 singles.
"We took the mindset of being in it for the long haul in singles play," Reeves said. "Eastern Washington is a good team, but we just competed extremely well and came away with a solid team win."
MSU will play at the Big Sky Conference Tournament, April 29 – May 1 in Sacramento, Calif.
Montana State 7, Eastern Washington 0
Singles:
1. MIDDEL, Laura (MSU) def. SMITH, Janaya (EWU) 6-4, 6-4
2. HOLOPAINEN, Naomi (MSU) def. HEDBERG, Moira (EWU) 6-1, 6-0
3. BRYCKI, Jessica (MSU) def. WORRALL, Faye (EWU) 2-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7-5)
4. PHILIPPOVA, Angelina (MSU) def. BLESSING, Erin (EWU) 6-2, 6-0
5. HOLOPAINEN, Wanda (MSU) def. SWINDELL, Rachel (EWU) 3-6, 6-2, 10-8
6. CERKOVNIK, Shelby (MSU) def. DOMINGO, Katrina (EWU) 6-1, 6-0
Doubles:
1. MIDDEL, Laura/HOLOPAINEN, Naomi (MSU) def. SMITH, Janaya/WORRALL, Faye (EWU) 7-5
2. BRYCKI, Jessica/HOLOPAINEN, Wanda (MSU) def. HEDBERG, Moira/SWINDELL, Rachel (EWU) 6-0
3. PHILIPPOVA, Angelina/CERKOVNIK, Shelby (MSU) def. BLESSING, Erin/DOMINGO, Katrina (EWU) 6-0
Eastern Washington 11-10, 5-5 BSC
Montana State 8-14, 6-5 BSC
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3,1); Singles (2,4,1,6,3,5)
T-3:00 A-75
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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