Women's tennis ready for BSC rematch
4/22/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
The University of Montana women???s tennis team will face No. 2 seeded Northern Arizona in the semifinal round of the Big Sky Championship tournament Saturday at 11:00 a.m. MT in Gold River, Calif.
The Lumberjacks hold a 12-6 overall record, having entered their final conference match with a 7-0 Big Sky record. The Flagstaff team was defeated 6-1 in that match against No. 53 Sacramento State. Aimee Oki took the sole lumberjack point in that contest, topping Hornet Rebecca Delgado at the No. 2 position in straight sets.
Oki also combined with Nicole Perez at No. 3 doubles to bring in an 8-7 win for her team over Aileene Tsan and Gayane Sarkisan.
Oki will likely meet Grizzly Constance Alexander at the No. 2 spot Saturday. The freshman held a Grizzly-best 11-9 record through the regular season, and went 6-2 in conference play. Alexander also finished out with a 10-4 record at her No. 2 position for the Griz.
Alexander combined with senior Kayla Moyse at No. 3 doubles, going 7-1 in the Big Sky, though took their only conference loss to Oki and Perez at the No. 2 spot March 5 vs. Northern Arizona.
In that March 5 Flagstaff, Ariz., meeting, the Grizzlies fell 6-1 to their Lumberjack hosts. Oki found one of her only Big Sky losses to UM freshman Heather Davidson at No. 3 singles that same meeting.
Grizzly post-match commentary became much about the dual-use surface of the Flagstaff Athletic Club courts. At that time, UM coach Steve Ascher said, ???I really hope that we get another chance to play Northern Arizona at a neutral site. To play them again would yield a great match between our two programs in my opinion.???
With a clinch of the No. 3 BSC seed and the NAU loss to Sacramento State Saturday at home, Montana received its rematch.
The Lumberjacks went an even 5-5 on the road and 4-1 at home in spring play.
In the last Grizzly-Lumberjack match-up, Montana was short junior Rebecca Bran at No. 1, who was sidelined during singles play due to some minor injuries. Bran will be in full-force Saturday in the outdoor, sea-level conditions just outside Sacramento.
Ascher said, ???Our focus at this point in the season is pretty clear. The team has worked hard for this opportunity and does not want to go out in the first match. Our goal is to go win matches for Montana. Coach Kris Nord has built the program here as one to be respected. We honor that legacy by making the tournament, even though it has been reduced to four teams, and we will honor it again because by doing anything less than winning is performing a disservice to this program.???
In practice Wednesday, sophomore Lauren Gibson said, ???With the conditions we expect to find in California, we will hope to play on points against all of our opponents. We have been strong in doubles and will look to set a tone there from the beginning.
???I think that the team has seen a lot of Improvement as the season progresses. Everyone has found their own game and will bring that to this tournament.???
Rebecca Bran and Davidson finished out the season at 11-6 in the No. 1 doubles position for the Grizzlies.
Saturday???s match will occur at the same time as the No. 1 seeded Sacramento State takes on No. 4 Montana State. The Grizzlies suffered a 7-0 loss to the Hornets March 31 and celebrated a 7-0 sweep of the Bobcats just two weeks prior. The winner of that semifinal match will play the Montana-Northern Arizona victor Sunday.
