Bobcats Close 2018 Men's Tennis Season by Beating Eastern Washington

Saturday, April 21

11:30 am

Montana State University

Eastern Washington

Senior Adrian Torrico, left, and Kasper Parlklo

Photo by: Andrew Pedersen

Bobcats Close 2018 Men's Tennis Season by Beating Eastern Washington

4/21/2018 3:27:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Box Score

Seniors lead the way as a sophomore clinches the victory

By: Bill Lamberty

BOZEMAN, Montana – Kasper Parlklo watched one lead slip away. He wasn't about to let go of a second.

The Montana State sophomore lost a 5-2 lead in the decisive third set of his match against Eastern Washington's Flavien Raveau at the Bobcat Outdoor Tennis Courts on Saturday, but after Raveau erased a 5-2 lead in the tie-breaker Parlklo went to his strength to capture a 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 victory. "It was a really tough match and I was able to pull it out going back to my serve," he said.

Parlklo's booming serve propelled him to the victory at No. 3 singles, and clinched Montana State's 4-3 win over the Eagles in the Bobcats' season finale. "It wasn't always pretty," said Bobcat coach Jared Burnham, "but it was exciting. And it was a win."

Montana State's two seniors, playing their final matches in the Blue and Gold, emerged as part and parcel of the triumph. Eastern Washington captured the doubles point, and EWU's Jeremy Field earned a 6-3, 6-3 win at No. 1 singles to push the Eagles to a 2-0 lead. Bobcat senior Rok Sitar earned a 6-3, 6-1 win at No. 2, and moments later his classmate Adrian Torrico grabbed a 6-3, 6-4 win at No. 4 to level the match. Then freshman Joaquin Espinoza earned a 6-3, 7-5 win at No. 5 to set the stage for Parlklo.

Torrico said grinding out points and games is always his game plan. "I was just making (shots), being patient on the court," he said, admitting that the anxiety of playing his final collegiate match factored in. "I was really nervous, wanting to get my last victory in college. So that was good."

Burnham was proud of his two upperclassmen. "I thought the seniors played pretty well," he said. "It's nice to send those guys out with a win, and that was my message before (the match), give everything you have for the guys playing their last match."

It didn't look like it would happen for a while. Parlklo dropped the first set of his match before rallying to put himself in position. But Raveau responded. "He really started playing better," Parlklo said. "I was just trying to keep my cool, not get to emotional, stay as calm as possible."

Montana State closes its season 6-13, 5-6 in Big Sky play and narrowly out of the six-team league tournament. Eastern Washington, now 7-13 overall and 3-7 in the conference, ends its season on Sunday at Montana.

Montana State 4, Eastern Washington 3
April 21, 2018 at Bozeman, Montana (Bobcat Outdoor Tennis Courts)

Singles competition
1. FIELD, Jeremy (EWU) def. FLINK, Alexander (MSU) 6-3, 6-3
2. SITAR, Rok (MSU) def. PAZ, Scott (EWU) 6-3, 6-1
3. PARLKLO, Kasper (MSU) def. RAVEAU, Flavien (EWU) 2-6, 6-4, 7-6
4. TORRICO, Adrian (MSU) def. PEREIRA, Victor (EWU) 6-3, 6-4
5. ESPINOZA, Joaquin (MSU) def. BATS, Martin (EWU) 6-3, 7-5
6. MUELLER, Jeremy (EWU) def. PETRAK, Max (MSU) 6-4, 4-6, 6-0

Doubles competition
1. PAZ, Scott/FIELD, Jeremy (EWU) def. SITAR, Rok/FLINK, Alexander (MSU) 6-4
2. TORRICO, Adrian/PARLKLO, Kasper (MSU) def. PEREIRA, Victor/MUELLER, Jeremy (EWU) 6-3
3. RAVEAU, Flavien/BATS, Martin (EWU) def. ESPINOZA, Joaquin/CEOLIN, Mateus (MSU) 6-4

Records: Eastern Washington 7-13/3-7 Big Sky, Montana State 6-13/5-6 Big Sky
Order of finish: Doubles (3,2,1); Singles (1,2,4,5,3,6)