UM men advance to first title match since 1971
4/28/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
The University of Montana men??s tennis team dropped the doubles point but rallied to win four singles matches in a 4-2 semifinal win over Sacramento State Friday afternoon at the Big Sky Men??s Tennis Championship in Pocatello, Idaho.
The win, which improved the No. 3 seed Grizzlies to 11-10 overall, advanced UM to its first league title match since the 1971 season. The No. 2 seed Hornets end their season at 12-11 on the year.
UM will face No. 1 seed Montana State in the championship match, which won 4-0 over Idaho State in Friday's other semifinal.
??It wasn??t our doubles ?C we kind of played flat there,?? Griz coach Kris Nord said. ??But we had six guys fighting there guts out in singles. We had a lot of enthusiasm out on the court. Today it came down to heart.??
The Griz lost the early point to the Hornets, dropping matches at Nos. 1 and 2 doubles. However, seniors Jan Steenekamp and Varun Giri teamed up for their sixth straight win at the No. 3 position, an 8-5 victory over Ramon Perez and Hague Van Dillen.
Montana took matches at the No. 1, 3, 4 and 5 singles positions for the win.
Steenekamp, a three-time all-conference selection, won 6-3, 6-3 over Junaid Hossain at the top of the lineup for UM. Freshman Colin Dektar won a three-set contest at the No. 3 position over Warwick Foy, 7-5, 6-7, 6-2.
Fellow freshman Felipe Raw won 7-6, 6-0 over Thomas Morton at the No. 4 position. Giri added a 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 come-from-behind victory over Ramon Perez at the No. 5 slot to clinch the match.
Montana (11-10) advances to face MSU in Saturday??s championship match set for 2 p.m. (MTN). The Grizzlies recently snapped a 15-match losing streak to the rival Bobcats, a 4-3 home win back on April 22.
Montana men??s tennis has never won a Big Sky title, finishing as runners-up on three occasions. UM recorded second-place finishes in 1966, 1967 and 1971.
??If we can get the doubles point, which we were close to doing last time, it would be monumental,?? Nord said of the title match-up with MSU. ??We??re not going to surprise them. I have faith that our guys can go out there and match up with the No. 1 seed in the tournament.??
Tennis Match Results
Montana vs Sacramento State
Apr 28, 2006 at Pocatello, Idaho
Montana 4, Sacramento State 2
Singles competition
1. Jan Steenekamp (UM) def. Junaid Hossain (SAC) 6-3, 6-3
2. Gabriel Loredo (SAC) def. Stuart Wing (UM) 6-3, 6-4
3. Colin Dektar (UM) def. Warwick Foy (SAC) 7-5, 7-6, 6-2
4. Felipe Raw (UM) def. Thomas Morton (SAC) 7-6, 6-0
5. Varun Giri (UM) def. Ramon Perez (SAC) 1-6, 6-4, 6-4
6. Josh Katz (UM) def. Hague Van Dillen (SAC) 6-3, 5-2, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. Junaid Hossain/Gabriel Loredo (SAC) def. Colin Dektar/Josh Katz (UM) 8-2
2. Warwick Foy/Thomas Morton (SAC) def. Stuart Wing/Felipe Raw (UM) 8-5
3. Jan Steenekamp/Varun Giri (UM) def. Ramon Perez/Hague Van Dillen (SAC) 8-5
Match Notes:
Montana 11-10
Sacramento State 12-11
Big Sky Men's Tennis Championship Semifinal
The win, which improved the No. 3 seed Grizzlies to 11-10 overall, advanced UM to its first league title match since the 1971 season. The No. 2 seed Hornets end their season at 12-11 on the year.
UM will face No. 1 seed Montana State in the championship match, which won 4-0 over Idaho State in Friday's other semifinal.
??It wasn??t our doubles ?C we kind of played flat there,?? Griz coach Kris Nord said. ??But we had six guys fighting there guts out in singles. We had a lot of enthusiasm out on the court. Today it came down to heart.??
The Griz lost the early point to the Hornets, dropping matches at Nos. 1 and 2 doubles. However, seniors Jan Steenekamp and Varun Giri teamed up for their sixth straight win at the No. 3 position, an 8-5 victory over Ramon Perez and Hague Van Dillen.
Montana took matches at the No. 1, 3, 4 and 5 singles positions for the win.
Steenekamp, a three-time all-conference selection, won 6-3, 6-3 over Junaid Hossain at the top of the lineup for UM. Freshman Colin Dektar won a three-set contest at the No. 3 position over Warwick Foy, 7-5, 6-7, 6-2.
Fellow freshman Felipe Raw won 7-6, 6-0 over Thomas Morton at the No. 4 position. Giri added a 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 come-from-behind victory over Ramon Perez at the No. 5 slot to clinch the match.
Montana (11-10) advances to face MSU in Saturday??s championship match set for 2 p.m. (MTN). The Grizzlies recently snapped a 15-match losing streak to the rival Bobcats, a 4-3 home win back on April 22.
Montana men??s tennis has never won a Big Sky title, finishing as runners-up on three occasions. UM recorded second-place finishes in 1966, 1967 and 1971.
??If we can get the doubles point, which we were close to doing last time, it would be monumental,?? Nord said of the title match-up with MSU. ??We??re not going to surprise them. I have faith that our guys can go out there and match up with the No. 1 seed in the tournament.??
Tennis Match Results
Montana vs Sacramento State
Apr 28, 2006 at Pocatello, Idaho
Montana 4, Sacramento State 2
Singles competition
1. Jan Steenekamp (UM) def. Junaid Hossain (SAC) 6-3, 6-3
2. Gabriel Loredo (SAC) def. Stuart Wing (UM) 6-3, 6-4
3. Colin Dektar (UM) def. Warwick Foy (SAC) 7-5, 7-6, 6-2
4. Felipe Raw (UM) def. Thomas Morton (SAC) 7-6, 6-0
5. Varun Giri (UM) def. Ramon Perez (SAC) 1-6, 6-4, 6-4
6. Josh Katz (UM) def. Hague Van Dillen (SAC) 6-3, 5-2, unfinished
Doubles competition
1. Junaid Hossain/Gabriel Loredo (SAC) def. Colin Dektar/Josh Katz (UM) 8-2
2. Warwick Foy/Thomas Morton (SAC) def. Stuart Wing/Felipe Raw (UM) 8-5
3. Jan Steenekamp/Varun Giri (UM) def. Ramon Perez/Hague Van Dillen (SAC) 8-5
Match Notes:
Montana 11-10
Sacramento State 12-11
Big Sky Men's Tennis Championship Semifinal
Friday, June 19
Thursday, June 04
Friday, May 01
Friday, May 01
