Thursday, April 24
Phoenix, AZ / Phoenix Tennis Center
9 a.m. (MT)
Montana State University
4
vs
0
Idaho State
Jojo Bach, center, clinched MSU's 4-0 win over Idaho State in the opening round of the Big Sky Tournament, Thursday morning.
Photo by: Brian Morse
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“It was a great day,” said MSU head coach Suzie Woodburn. “We came out ready to go and it was a battle against a tough team. Every match was tightly contested. We played with great attitude and concentration and won the big moments.”
Montana State graduate transfer Jojo Bach cruised to a 7-1 win in a second set tiebreaker to clinch a 4-0 Bobcat victory over Idaho State on Thursday morning in the opening round of the Big Sky Conference Tournament at the Phoenix Tennis Center.
Bach, playing at No. 3 singles, took the opening set 6-4 from Big Sky Freshman of the Year Millie Day. The native of Brighton, United Kingdom closed out the match with a 7-6(1) second set decision.
"It was a great day," said MSU head coach Suzie Woodburn. "We came out ready to go and it was a battle against a tough team. Every match was tightly contested. We played with great attitude and concentration and won the big moments."
Montana State (11-10) opened the contest winning the doubles point. MSU's No. 1 pairing of Bach and Meg Mcarty notched a 6-3 win over Stefanya Shalakhova and Asem Shoybek, before Nia Gelashvili and Angel Bean secured the doubles point at No. 3 with a 6-2 decision over Idaho State's (10-12) Olivia Mikkelson and Victoria Grymalska.
"Doubles is a strength," Woodburn said. "We trust ourselves to come out strong and aggressive. We did a nice job coming forward and putting pressure on them."
Sophomore Hudson Hawkins opened singles play for the Bobcats at No. 6 with a dominating 6-0, 6-0 win over Grymalska. "I think she might've given up just seven or eight points," Woodburn said.
Leading 2-0, McCarty, a Bozeman High product, captured a straight set 6-4, 6-3 win at No. 2 over Shoybek, setting up Bach's match clinching win at No. 3 singles.
"I'm proud with the way we prepared for the match and executed our game," Woodburn said. "This is the first time a Bobcat team has advanced to the semifinals since 2017. This team has accomplished a lot, but they're hungry for more."
Montana State faces top seed and Big Sky regular season champion Northern Arizona on Friday at 9 a.m. (MT).
Montana State 4, Idaho State 0
Doubles:
Bach, playing at No. 3 singles, took the opening set 6-4 from Big Sky Freshman of the Year Millie Day. The native of Brighton, United Kingdom closed out the match with a 7-6(1) second set decision.
"It was a great day," said MSU head coach Suzie Woodburn. "We came out ready to go and it was a battle against a tough team. Every match was tightly contested. We played with great attitude and concentration and won the big moments."
Montana State (11-10) opened the contest winning the doubles point. MSU's No. 1 pairing of Bach and Meg Mcarty notched a 6-3 win over Stefanya Shalakhova and Asem Shoybek, before Nia Gelashvili and Angel Bean secured the doubles point at No. 3 with a 6-2 decision over Idaho State's (10-12) Olivia Mikkelson and Victoria Grymalska.
"Doubles is a strength," Woodburn said. "We trust ourselves to come out strong and aggressive. We did a nice job coming forward and putting pressure on them."
Sophomore Hudson Hawkins opened singles play for the Bobcats at No. 6 with a dominating 6-0, 6-0 win over Grymalska. "I think she might've given up just seven or eight points," Woodburn said.
Leading 2-0, McCarty, a Bozeman High product, captured a straight set 6-4, 6-3 win at No. 2 over Shoybek, setting up Bach's match clinching win at No. 3 singles.
"I'm proud with the way we prepared for the match and executed our game," Woodburn said. "This is the first time a Bobcat team has advanced to the semifinals since 2017. This team has accomplished a lot, but they're hungry for more."
Montana State faces top seed and Big Sky regular season champion Northern Arizona on Friday at 9 a.m. (MT).
Montana State 4, Idaho State 0
Doubles:
- Meg McCarty/Jojo Bach (MSU) d. Stefanya Shalakhova/Asem Shoybek, 6-3
- Marta Garcia-Reboredo/Hudson Hawkins (MSU) vs. Millie Day/Veronika Zarovna (ISU), 4-2 unfinished
- Nia Gelashvili/Angel Bean (MSU) d. Olivia Mikkelson/Victoria Grymalska, 6-2
- Garcia-Reboredo (MSU) vs. Shalakhova (ISU), 6-3, 2-6, 4-3, unfinished
- McCarty (MSU) d. Shoybek, 6-4, 6-3
- Bach (MSU d. Day, 6-4, 7-6(1)
- Gelashvili (MSU) vs. Sydney Morris (ISU), 4-6, 6-4, 4-2, unfinished
- Bean (MSU) vs. Zarovna (ISU), 6-3, 4-6, 1-2, unfinished
- Hawkins (MSU) d. Grymalska, 6-0, 6-0
Players Mentioned
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