Women's tennis reinforces ITA Regional statement
10/17/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Full tournament brackets
With Griz competitors playing exclusively in consolation matches through the final day of tournament play, the University of Montana women???s tennis team concluded its efforts Saturday at the USTA/ITA Mountain Regional. Montana highlights included a doubles quarterfinal appearance by seniors Rebecca Bran and Whitney Paluch, and positive records for the Montana endeavor. ??
With their departure from Las Vegas, the Grizzlies stood at 10-8 for singles play and 5-3 in doubles for the tournament.?? With Saturday victories by Amanda Bran and Constance Alexander in consolation doubles action, the pair improved to 7-1 together for the season. Alexander combines for 9-2 overall in fall doubles matches, while the Grizzly team as a whole has gone 19-11.
With strong rounds in consolation singles, the Grizzlies further stamped the Montana threat vs. athletes across the region Saturday. Montana athletes went 7-2 in consolation play, with the team notching a 4-0 match record against Big Sky athletes. ??
Upon his return to Missoula, third year UM women???s tennis coach Steve Ascher said, ???I think that the team has really learned to step up in big match situations, coming through those high-pressure points in highly contested matches.???
Ascher recounted the UM tournament highlights saying, ???It is always a big deal when you upset the No. 1 doubles team, as Rebecca and Whitney did vs. Wyoming. Then to see them play all the way to the quarterfinal, only losing in a close match with UNLV, the top team in the region-it was definitely a great result for the team. Amanda (Bran) had a great match against a ranked player, then came out with amazing results in her consolation matches. Heather Davidson took important wins through the tournament as well, taking on some very competitive players and beating them soundly.???
Grizzly senior Amanda Bran sat out last week???s action at the Boise State Jack Taylor Invitational, instead remaining in Missoula for additional conditioning work, a plan that would pay dividends for the Grizzly veteran. With the Melbourne, Austailia native participating only in doubles action during fall play, her Wednesday Regional matches were the first singles action that the UM powerhouse had seen in six months.
Bran said, ???In my first match, I was a little scared-nervous even- from not having played in a while. I started out and was missing my flow, felt tight, and my rhythm was off. I lost the first set pretty badly and then went down 3-0 in the second set. Coach Ascher had a talk with me, reminding me to relax and to find that Amanda that had played well at the end of last semester. Once I calmed down, it was like all of my senses came back to me.???
Bran took her first match and moved on to play UNLV athlete Lucia Batta, the No. 2 seed. Bran took the first set 6-2, and narrowly lost the second at 7-6. Batta would hold Bran to 6-2 in the final set. Following her match with Bran, Batta would play through the entire field, taking the regional title, winning all but the championship match in straight sets. Bran and tournament runner-up No. 67 Anastasia Putilina would be the only athletes to win a set vs. the Rebel freshman.
Bran said, ???I played well against Batta, especially in the first set. I wasn???t able to come out on top, but I still know that I played very well. In the consolation rounds, I felt like I continued that trend, and ended up playing some of the best tennis of my life.???
Bran recorded an impressive 3-1 singes record for her first tournament.
Of the UM team energy, Bran said, ???The entire team played at the absolute top of their ability in every match, working really hard. It makes you so happy to see everyone else playing like that. I am definitely motivated by my teammates. All through the consoles, that team momentum was carried. When your teammates are doing well, like Rebecca (Bran) and Whitney (Paluch) defeating the No. 1 seeds in doubles, for example, those matches just inspire you to play even harder.???
Ascher said, ???I am excited to have a bit of a break from competition. We???ve had the opportunity to learn so much about how we play in the past month. Now we will have the opportunity to work, further improving on the technical aspects of our game.???
As for his team???s prognosis, Ascher said, ???Looking to duals in the spring, I can???t help but be excited about meeting a lot of these teams again. With the form that we have shown under pressure, it will make a big difference in those tight results where we are looking at a 4-3 result or the inverse. We have shown that we are going to be in there to the end against whomever we meet.
The doubles championship match Sunday concluded ITA Regional action, with Putalina and Utah teammate Paige Miles topping the UNLV combo of No. 72 Jana Albers and Adrienn Hadvegi, who had ended the Bran/Paluch run just one day earlier.
Ascher said, ???As to the regional rankings, UNLV and Utah have shown themselves to be at the top, with Boise State getting some undeniable results as well. With ten teams listed, I have to believe that we are going to be in there.???
Montana will have a break from tournament play until its final fall event, the November 12-14 Cal State Northridge Invitational. ??????
Players Mentioned
