Photo by: Andrew Pedersen
Bobcat Men's Tennis Team Heads to ITA Regionals in Denver
10/17/2019 11:04:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Strong performance in Utah has Cats trending up
BOZEMAN, Montana – With a weekend of improvement under their belts, the Montana State men's tennis team travels to Denver this weekend for the ITA Regional Championships.
"We're excited to have the chance to compete and hopefully qualify for the national indoor championships," interim head coach Trey Morris said. "I liked how the guys competed (at the Utah Invitational) last week. I like how they put themselves into winning position. They didn't win every set or every game, but there were a lot of three-set matches because they competed hard."
Sophomore Nejc Sitar posted a tremendous weekend, splitting four matches. He beat Utah's No. 4 singles player. Junior Joaquin Espinoza and freshman Chase Stoner each beat Utah's Rafael Grovas, ranked in the top 1500 in the world rankings. Stoner won his draw in the Utah tournament which featured the Cats, Utah and Southern Utah.
Morris indicated that five Bobcats travel to Denver this weekend: senior Drew Brown, Sitar, Espinoza, sophomore Marcos Zelver and sophomore Christian Damgaard Qvist. Morris said the competition level ratchets up in Denver. "All of the Division I schools from the Rocky Mountain region will be there," he said. "Our guys have the chance to face a lot of great competition and it will be another chance to grow and improve."
UNIVERISTY OF UTAH INVITATIONAL RESULTS
SINGLES
NEJC SITAR
Lost to Russell Benkaim (Utah), 2-6, 3-6
Def. Mathias Gavelin (Utah) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
Lost to Parker (SUU) 6-4, 1-6, 3-6
Def. Nolan McCaig (SUU) 5-7, 6-4, 7-6
JOAQUIN ESPINOZA
Def. Paul McCallie (Utah) 6-1, 6-3
Def. Rafael Grovas (Utah) 7-6, 6-3
Lost to Jose Ortega (SUU) 6-3, 2-6, 6-7
Def. Keonho Shin (SUU) 6-4, 6-3
GRANT WOOD
Lost to Jose Ortega (SUU) 1-6, 1-6
Def. Sepulveda (SUU) 6-1, 6-2
Lost to Azat Hankuliyev (Utah) 2-6, 2-6
Lost to Chase Stoner (MSU) 2-6, 2-6
CHRISTIAN DAMGAARD-QVIST
Lost to Azat Hankuliyev (Utah) 2-6, 3-6
Lost to Rian Ta (Utah) 6-4, 1-6, 1-6
Def. Juan Erro (SUU) 6-0, 7-5
DREW BROWN
Lost to Mathias Gavelin (Utah) 4-6, 4-6
Lost to Nolan McCaig (SUU) by default
MARCOS ZELVER
Lost to Rafael Grovas (Utah) 2-6, 5-7
Lost to Paul McCallie (Utah) 2-6, 7-5, 1-6
Lost to Keonho Shin (SUU) 3-6, 6-3, 4-6
Lost to Parker (SUU) 3-6, 6-3, 1-6
MANUEL MONTEIRO
Lost to Rian Ta (Utah) 6-4, 5-7, 2-6
Lost to Azat Hankuliyev (Utah) 0-6, 6-1, 5-7
Lost to Juan Erro (SUU) 1-6, 4-6
CHASE STONER
Def. Sepulveda (SUU), 6-2, 6-1
Def. Rian Ta (Utah) 6-7, 6-3, 6-1
Def. Grant Wood (MSU) 6-2, 6-2
Def. Rafael Grovas (Utah) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
DOUBLES
CHASE STONER/MARCOS ZELVER
Lost to Russell Benkaim/Paul McCallie (Utah) 2-6
Def. Conor Tordoff/Nolan McCaig (SUU) 6-3
Def. Manuel Monteiro/Grant Wood (MSU) 7-5
Lost to Rian Ta/Rafael Grovas (Utah) 4-6
Lost to Keonho Shin/Sepulveda (SUU) 5-7
JOAQUIN ESPINOZA/CHRISTIAN DAMGAARD QVIST
Lost to Mathias Gavelin/Azat Hankuliyev (Utah) 0-6
Def. Rian Ta/Rafael Grovas (Utah) 6-3
Lost to RJ Parker/Juan Erro (SUU) 4-6
Lost to Russell Benkaim/Paul McCallie (Utah) 2-6
Lost to Rok Sitar/Drew Brown (MSU) 2-6
ROK SITAR/DREW BROWN
Def. Parker/Erro (SUU) 6-1
Def. Mathias Gavelin/Azat Hankuliyev (Utah) 6-1
Lost to Russell Benkaim/Paul McCallie (Utah) 1-6
Def. Manuel Monteiro/Grant Wood (MSU) 6-2
Def. Joaquin Espinoza/Christian Daamgard Qvist (MSU 6-2
MANUEL MONTEIRO/GRANT WOOD
Lost to Conor Tordoff/Nolan McCaig (SUU) 6-7
Def. Keonho Shin/Sepulveda (SUU) 7-5
Lost to Rok Sitar/Drew Brown (MSU) 2-6
Lost to Chase Stoner/Marcos Zelver (MSU) 5-7
Def. Rafael Grovas/Rian Ta (Utah) 7-6
"We're excited to have the chance to compete and hopefully qualify for the national indoor championships," interim head coach Trey Morris said. "I liked how the guys competed (at the Utah Invitational) last week. I like how they put themselves into winning position. They didn't win every set or every game, but there were a lot of three-set matches because they competed hard."
Sophomore Nejc Sitar posted a tremendous weekend, splitting four matches. He beat Utah's No. 4 singles player. Junior Joaquin Espinoza and freshman Chase Stoner each beat Utah's Rafael Grovas, ranked in the top 1500 in the world rankings. Stoner won his draw in the Utah tournament which featured the Cats, Utah and Southern Utah.
Morris indicated that five Bobcats travel to Denver this weekend: senior Drew Brown, Sitar, Espinoza, sophomore Marcos Zelver and sophomore Christian Damgaard Qvist. Morris said the competition level ratchets up in Denver. "All of the Division I schools from the Rocky Mountain region will be there," he said. "Our guys have the chance to face a lot of great competition and it will be another chance to grow and improve."
UNIVERISTY OF UTAH INVITATIONAL RESULTS
SINGLES
NEJC SITAR
Lost to Russell Benkaim (Utah), 2-6, 3-6
Def. Mathias Gavelin (Utah) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
Lost to Parker (SUU) 6-4, 1-6, 3-6
Def. Nolan McCaig (SUU) 5-7, 6-4, 7-6
JOAQUIN ESPINOZA
Def. Paul McCallie (Utah) 6-1, 6-3
Def. Rafael Grovas (Utah) 7-6, 6-3
Lost to Jose Ortega (SUU) 6-3, 2-6, 6-7
Def. Keonho Shin (SUU) 6-4, 6-3
GRANT WOOD
Lost to Jose Ortega (SUU) 1-6, 1-6
Def. Sepulveda (SUU) 6-1, 6-2
Lost to Azat Hankuliyev (Utah) 2-6, 2-6
Lost to Chase Stoner (MSU) 2-6, 2-6
CHRISTIAN DAMGAARD-QVIST
Lost to Azat Hankuliyev (Utah) 2-6, 3-6
Lost to Rian Ta (Utah) 6-4, 1-6, 1-6
Def. Juan Erro (SUU) 6-0, 7-5
DREW BROWN
Lost to Mathias Gavelin (Utah) 4-6, 4-6
Lost to Nolan McCaig (SUU) by default
MARCOS ZELVER
Lost to Rafael Grovas (Utah) 2-6, 5-7
Lost to Paul McCallie (Utah) 2-6, 7-5, 1-6
Lost to Keonho Shin (SUU) 3-6, 6-3, 4-6
Lost to Parker (SUU) 3-6, 6-3, 1-6
MANUEL MONTEIRO
Lost to Rian Ta (Utah) 6-4, 5-7, 2-6
Lost to Azat Hankuliyev (Utah) 0-6, 6-1, 5-7
Lost to Juan Erro (SUU) 1-6, 4-6
CHASE STONER
Def. Sepulveda (SUU), 6-2, 6-1
Def. Rian Ta (Utah) 6-7, 6-3, 6-1
Def. Grant Wood (MSU) 6-2, 6-2
Def. Rafael Grovas (Utah) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3
DOUBLES
CHASE STONER/MARCOS ZELVER
Lost to Russell Benkaim/Paul McCallie (Utah) 2-6
Def. Conor Tordoff/Nolan McCaig (SUU) 6-3
Def. Manuel Monteiro/Grant Wood (MSU) 7-5
Lost to Rian Ta/Rafael Grovas (Utah) 4-6
Lost to Keonho Shin/Sepulveda (SUU) 5-7
JOAQUIN ESPINOZA/CHRISTIAN DAMGAARD QVIST
Lost to Mathias Gavelin/Azat Hankuliyev (Utah) 0-6
Def. Rian Ta/Rafael Grovas (Utah) 6-3
Lost to RJ Parker/Juan Erro (SUU) 4-6
Lost to Russell Benkaim/Paul McCallie (Utah) 2-6
Lost to Rok Sitar/Drew Brown (MSU) 2-6
ROK SITAR/DREW BROWN
Def. Parker/Erro (SUU) 6-1
Def. Mathias Gavelin/Azat Hankuliyev (Utah) 6-1
Lost to Russell Benkaim/Paul McCallie (Utah) 1-6
Def. Manuel Monteiro/Grant Wood (MSU) 6-2
Def. Joaquin Espinoza/Christian Daamgard Qvist (MSU 6-2
MANUEL MONTEIRO/GRANT WOOD
Lost to Conor Tordoff/Nolan McCaig (SUU) 6-7
Def. Keonho Shin/Sepulveda (SUU) 7-5
Lost to Rok Sitar/Drew Brown (MSU) 2-6
Lost to Chase Stoner/Marcos Zelver (MSU) 5-7
Def. Rafael Grovas/Rian Ta (Utah) 7-6
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
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/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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