Friday, March 9
Des Moines, IA
4 p.m.
Montana State University
4
at
3
Drake
Freshman Annie Walker
Photo by: R. Dean Hendrickson
Bobcat Women’s Tennis Team Runs Win Streak to Three Straight
3/10/2018 3:44:00 PM | Women's Tennis
“Annie Walker stepped-up big with the match on the line,” said MSU head coach Jon Reeves. “What a great experience for her to close out her first clinching match victory. She showed a lot of poise and character.”
The Montana State women's tennis team ran its win streak to a season-best three consecutive victories with a pair of wins in the Hawkeye State. MSU rallied for a 4-3 win over Drake on Friday night, and followed that performance with a 4-3 decision over Grand Canyon on Saturday afternoon.
Against GCU, freshman Annie Walker notched a 7-5, 7-5 win at No. 2 singles to give Montana State (5-5, 2-0) the victory.
"Annie Walker stepped-up big with the match on the line," said MSU head coach Jon Reeves. "What a great experience for her to close out her first clinching match victory. She showed a lot of poise and character."
The Bobcats opened the match taking the doubles point and the two squads traded points in singles action to set up the deciding match between Walker and GCU's Lana Rinaldi. Sophomore Laura Mary and senior Angelina Philippova won at Nos. 1 and 4 singles, respectively, to help MSU to the victory.
"It was a tough and mentally challenging match," Reeves said. "One thing Grand Canyon made very clear, right from the beginning, was they were going to make you play a lot of shots, every single point. We were trying to be as aggressive as GCU would allow. They play with a lot of height, so it can limit your options and force you into take chances.
"We had a terrific performance, for the second day in a row, from Laura Mary and Angelina Philippova," Reeves states. "Laura took control of the match right away and never let up and Angelina went to work right where she left off against Drake, playing tough, long points back to back."
Against Drake, MSU found itself down 3-1 after losing the doubles point and matches at Nos. 2 and 3 singles. Back-to-back wins by Sarah Cheverie at No. 6 and Mary at No. 1 evened the match at three-all to setup Philippova's 1-6, 6-3, 4-3 (retired) win over DU's Kenya Williams to secure the win.
"Angelina made it an endurance match," Reeves said. "Fitness is a huge part of tennis. We focus heavily on making matches physically difficult."
Montana State will venture back into Big Sky Conference action next Saturday and Sunday when it hosts North Dakota and Sacramento State in the Bobcat-Anderson Tennis Center.
"It was a great weekend with two 4-3 victories," Reeves said. "We have had three 4-3 matches in a row, with three different players closing out the match. It doesn't get more exciting than that. Their progression of growth as a team and as competitors has been fantastic over the past month."
Montana State 4, Grand Canyon 3
Singles:
1. MARY, Laura (MSU) def. LO PUMO, Martina (GCU) 6-0, 6-3
2. WALKER, Annie (MSU) def. RINALDI, Lana (GCU) 7-5, 7-5
3. OCCHIPINTI, Emilia (GCU) def. VINK, Linda (MSU) 6-1, 6-3
4. PHILIPPOVA, Angelina (MSU) def. MOKROVA, Valentina (GCU) 6-1, 6-2
5. BUHR, Celina (GCU) def. ZANDER, Enni (MSU) 6-1, 6-1
6. WASCHUK, Kylie (GCU) def. CHEVERIE, Sarah (MSU) 6-4, 6-4
Doubles:
1. RINALDI, Lana/OCCHIPINTI, Emilia (GCU) def. MARY, Laura/WALKER, Annie (MSU) 7-6 (7-3)
2. PHILIPPOVA, Angelina/VINK, Linda (MSU) def. MOKROVA, Valentina/BUHR, Celina (GCU) 7-5
3. ZANDER, Enni/CHEVERIE, Sarah (MSU) def. WASCHUK, Kylie/PRUDHOMME, Autum (GCU) 6-4
Montana State 4, Drake 3
Singles:
1. MARY, Laura (MSU) def. Brills, Summer (DU) 6-1, 4-6, 6-4
2. Herder, Tess (DU) def. WALKER, Annie (MSU) 6-2, 6-1
3. Petushkova, Liza (DU) def. VINK, Linda (MSU) 6-3, 6-2
4. PHILIPPOVA, Angelina (MSU) def. Williams, Kenya (DU) 1-6, 6-2, 4-3, retired
5. ZANDER, Enni (MSU) def. Jaglarz, Mela (DU) 6-4, 6-4
6. CHEVERIE, Sarah (MSU) def. Kozlowski, Alex (DU) 6-2, 6-4
Doubles:
1. Herder, Tess/Petushkova, Liza (DU) def. MARY, Laura/WALKER, Annie (MSU) 6-1
2. Brills, Summer/Williams, Kenya (DU) def. VINK, Linda/PHILIPPOVA, Angelina (MSU) 6-2
3. ZANDER, Enni/CHEVERIE, Sarah (MSU) def. Jaglarz, Mela/Kozlowski, Alex (DU) 6-2
Against GCU, freshman Annie Walker notched a 7-5, 7-5 win at No. 2 singles to give Montana State (5-5, 2-0) the victory.
"Annie Walker stepped-up big with the match on the line," said MSU head coach Jon Reeves. "What a great experience for her to close out her first clinching match victory. She showed a lot of poise and character."
The Bobcats opened the match taking the doubles point and the two squads traded points in singles action to set up the deciding match between Walker and GCU's Lana Rinaldi. Sophomore Laura Mary and senior Angelina Philippova won at Nos. 1 and 4 singles, respectively, to help MSU to the victory.
"It was a tough and mentally challenging match," Reeves said. "One thing Grand Canyon made very clear, right from the beginning, was they were going to make you play a lot of shots, every single point. We were trying to be as aggressive as GCU would allow. They play with a lot of height, so it can limit your options and force you into take chances.
"We had a terrific performance, for the second day in a row, from Laura Mary and Angelina Philippova," Reeves states. "Laura took control of the match right away and never let up and Angelina went to work right where she left off against Drake, playing tough, long points back to back."
Against Drake, MSU found itself down 3-1 after losing the doubles point and matches at Nos. 2 and 3 singles. Back-to-back wins by Sarah Cheverie at No. 6 and Mary at No. 1 evened the match at three-all to setup Philippova's 1-6, 6-3, 4-3 (retired) win over DU's Kenya Williams to secure the win.
"Angelina made it an endurance match," Reeves said. "Fitness is a huge part of tennis. We focus heavily on making matches physically difficult."
Montana State will venture back into Big Sky Conference action next Saturday and Sunday when it hosts North Dakota and Sacramento State in the Bobcat-Anderson Tennis Center.
"It was a great weekend with two 4-3 victories," Reeves said. "We have had three 4-3 matches in a row, with three different players closing out the match. It doesn't get more exciting than that. Their progression of growth as a team and as competitors has been fantastic over the past month."
Montana State 4, Grand Canyon 3
Singles:
1. MARY, Laura (MSU) def. LO PUMO, Martina (GCU) 6-0, 6-3
2. WALKER, Annie (MSU) def. RINALDI, Lana (GCU) 7-5, 7-5
3. OCCHIPINTI, Emilia (GCU) def. VINK, Linda (MSU) 6-1, 6-3
4. PHILIPPOVA, Angelina (MSU) def. MOKROVA, Valentina (GCU) 6-1, 6-2
5. BUHR, Celina (GCU) def. ZANDER, Enni (MSU) 6-1, 6-1
6. WASCHUK, Kylie (GCU) def. CHEVERIE, Sarah (MSU) 6-4, 6-4
Doubles:
1. RINALDI, Lana/OCCHIPINTI, Emilia (GCU) def. MARY, Laura/WALKER, Annie (MSU) 7-6 (7-3)
2. PHILIPPOVA, Angelina/VINK, Linda (MSU) def. MOKROVA, Valentina/BUHR, Celina (GCU) 7-5
3. ZANDER, Enni/CHEVERIE, Sarah (MSU) def. WASCHUK, Kylie/PRUDHOMME, Autum (GCU) 6-4
Montana State 4, Drake 3
Singles:
1. MARY, Laura (MSU) def. Brills, Summer (DU) 6-1, 4-6, 6-4
2. Herder, Tess (DU) def. WALKER, Annie (MSU) 6-2, 6-1
3. Petushkova, Liza (DU) def. VINK, Linda (MSU) 6-3, 6-2
4. PHILIPPOVA, Angelina (MSU) def. Williams, Kenya (DU) 1-6, 6-2, 4-3, retired
5. ZANDER, Enni (MSU) def. Jaglarz, Mela (DU) 6-4, 6-4
6. CHEVERIE, Sarah (MSU) def. Kozlowski, Alex (DU) 6-2, 6-4
Doubles:
1. Herder, Tess/Petushkova, Liza (DU) def. MARY, Laura/WALKER, Annie (MSU) 6-1
2. Brills, Summer/Williams, Kenya (DU) def. VINK, Linda/PHILIPPOVA, Angelina (MSU) 6-2
3. ZANDER, Enni/CHEVERIE, Sarah (MSU) def. Jaglarz, Mela/Kozlowski, Alex (DU) 6-2
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Tennis
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/ Women's Tennis
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/ Women's Tennis
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