By Not Panicking, Matej Panik Leads Bobcats to Important 6-1 Men's Tennis Win vs. Weber State

Sunday, March 27

Bozeman, MT

3 pm

Montana State University

Weber State

Matej Panik

Photo by: Jack Murrey

By Not Panicking, Matej Panik Leads Bobcats to Important 6-1 Men's Tennis Win vs. Weber State

3/27/2022 7:31:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Box Score

Bobcats earn hard-fought win against WSU

By: Bill Lamberty

BOZEMAN, Montana – In a match that took many turns, Matej Panik was in the middle of the most important ones – including a bad bounce that nearly changed the course of the day.

Montana State's number one doubles team of Panik and Jamieson Nathan pulled out a 6-4 victory at No. 1 doubles, and Panik cinched the team win with a come-from-behind victory at No. 2 singles. Those results played an important role in boosting the Bobcats a 6-1 win over Weber State in Bozeman on Sunday.

"It wasn't easy, it was a tough match from both teams, and there was a moment at the start of singles that I really though the momentum could have gone either way," said Bobcat coach Trey Morris. "We were able to get a couple key sets, and to be honest with you I really think Matej Panik was the key to our success in this match."

In No. 1 doubles, Panik and Nathan played on serve against Tristan Sarap and Elyes Marouani until breaking Weber State to go up 4-3. Those two won 6-4, then Daan Van Dijk and Nejc Sitar earned a 6-2 win to clinch the doubles point.

Then with the Bobcats leading the team competition 3-1 Panik earned a dramatic 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 win at No. 2 singles to clinch the victory for Montana State. The victory boosts the Cats to 4-0 in the league and leaves the team in a virtual tie for first place in the Big Sky with the University of Montana (3-0).

Early in the No. 1 doubles match, though, Panik took a ball in the head which blurred his vision momentarily. While the effects lingered into his singles match, the sophomore was undeterred. "I was watching (professional player Rafa) Nadal, and this guy, he played with a broken rib and was still able to win. So I was like, 'Let's take an example out of that and try to do the same.' And I was able to do that."

Morris was impressed with the grit of his top doubles unit. "Those guys continued to compete and battle. It's who these guys are."

In singles play, Panik dropped the first set to Elyes Marouani 6-4, but rallied for an impressive 6-3 win in set two. In the decisive set, Panik fell behind the Weber State freshman 4-3. At that point, he decided it was time to make a statement.

"I lost the game before on an ace, I was a break up lost (the advantage), and I was like, 'Look, I know how good I can serve so let's prove it, let's show that the break was a coincidence,' and I did that," he said. "I had two or three aces and (after that) I was rolling."

Panik's dominant service knotted the set at 4-4, and he rolled through the next two to clinch Montana State's win. He said that while he knew what was at stake, he was able to focus.

"Of course there were moments where thoughts were crossing my mind like, 'I can clinch, I can win it for us, and I can clinch the conference tournament halfway through the conference season,'" he said. "But I was telling myself, 'Be quiet, focus on your game, go point by point, and if you do that you will stand on top at the end.'"

Panik was far from alone in providing heroics in MSU's impressive team win. His doubles partner, Nathan, rolled up a 6-4, 6-3 win at No. 3 singles. Brad Buckland won 6-2, 7-5 at No. 4. And the players at the bottom of MSU's ladder extended their excellent play. Nejc Sitar won his second straight match 7-6 (8-6), 6-0 at No. 5, and Joaquin Espinoza extended his singles win streak to three straight with a 6-2, 6-4 win at No. 6.

Tracing back to the key doubles point win, Panik and Nathan entered Sunday's competition ranked 40^th in the most recent ITA National Men's Doubles Poll. Since joining forces, Nathan and Panik have won five of six matches at the top ladder spot. "We're definitely on a high right now, playing well," Panik said. "We're very good friends, so that helps a lot. We know each other so well, we know who's going to do what, and the results on the court follow."

Morris said that Sunday's win was gritty and tough to secure, which is right in his team's comfort zone. "It's in their DNA," he said. "They're OK if it's not pretty, they're finding ways to win when it's ugly, and that's what matters."

While the Cats move to 14-6 overall, Weber State is now 6-12 in all matches, 2-3 in the Big Sky. The importance of each match continues to mount for MSU, who hosts Northern Arizona on Friday, April 1, at 2 pm. The Lumberjacks stand 2-1 in the league, 12-6 overall.

Montana State 6, Weber State 1
3-27-22 at Bozeman, Montana (Bobcat-Anderson Tennis Center)

SINGLES
1. BUXMAN, Sebastian (WSU-M) def. VAN DIJK, Daan (MSU) 6-3, 6-4
2. PANIK, Matej (MSU) def. MAROUANI, Elyes (WSU-M) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4
3. NATHAN, Jamieson (MSU) def. SARAP, Tristan (WSU-M) 6-4, 6-3
4. BUCKLAND, Brad (MSU) def. COUTINHO, Jordan (WSU-M) 6-2, 7-5
5. SITAR, Nejc (MSU) def. LI, Bo-Han (WSU-M) 7-6 (8-6), 6-0
6. ESPINOZA, Joaquin (MSU) def. SAVIO, Matteo (WSU-M) 6-2, 6-4

DOUBLES
1. #40 PANIK, Matej/NATHAN, Jamieson (MSU) def. SARAP, Tristan/MAROUANI, Elyes (WSU-M) 6-4
2. VAN DIJK, Daan/SITAR, Nejc (MSU) def. COUTINHO, Jordan/SERAFIM, Arthur (WSU-M) 6-2
3. BUCKLAND, Brad/ZELVER, Marcos (MSU) vs. BUXMAN, Sebastian/SAVIO, Matteo (WSU-M) 4-5, unfinished

Records: Weber State 6-12/2-3 Big Sky, Montana State 14-6/4-0 Big Sky
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1); Singles (3,1,4,2,5,6)
Official: J. Mayo, Q. Ali
Attendance: 125