Griz women fall 4-0 in championship match

Sunday, April 22

Gold River, Calif.

11:00 AM

Montana

Sacramento State

4/22/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis

The University of Montana women's tennis team fell short of its first ever conference title with a 4-0 loss to Sacramento State Sunday in the Big Sky Conference Championship held at the Golf River Racquet Club in Sacramento, Calif.

Sacramento State claimed its 92nd consecutive conference win with the win and are Big Sky champions for the 11th year in a row.

Montana lost 0-2 in doubles dropping the No. 1 and No. 2 matches. Junior Heather Davidson and freshman Laurence Pelchat lost 8-2 to Tatsiana Kapshai and Rebecca Delgado at No.1 and sophomore Maddy Murray and partner Sasha Carter lost 8-3 to Clarisse Baca and Maria Meliuk in the No. 2 match.

The Hornets did not let up in singles winning the three unanswered matches to clinch the title. Kapshai defeated Davidson 6-1, 6-0 at No.1. Sophomores Ashley Mackey and Murray also lost in straight sets at Nos. 3 and 5.

In Montana's unfinished matches Pelchat and Carter both had set wins while Precious Gbadamosi had a second-set lead of five games to zero at No. 6.

Montana closes its season with 14 wins and its first ever trip to the conference final. Montana graduates one senior will return all of its championship-match competitors in 2013. Despite the loss the Grizzlies are best summed up by coach Steve Ascher.

"We have a bright future."

April 22, 2012

Tennis Match Results
Montana vs. Sacramento State
Apr 22, 2012 at Sacramento, Calif.
(Gold River Racquet Club)

#52 Sacramento State 4, Montana 0

Singles competition
1. KAPSHAI, Tatsiana (SAC) def. Davidson, Heather (UM) 6-1, 6-0
2. DELGADO, Rebeca (SAC) vs. Pelchat, Laurence (UM) unfinished
3. BACA, Clarisse (SAC) def. Mackey, Ashley (UM) 6-2, 6-1
4. LOHSCHEIDT, Sophie (SAC) vs. Carter, Sasha (UM) unfinished
5. MELIUK, Maria (SAC) def. Murray, Maddy (UM) 6-1, 6-1
6. KNOEBL, Katharina (SAC) vs. Gbadamosi, Precious (UM) unfinished

Doubles competition
1. DELGADO, Rebeca/KAPSHAI, Tatsiana (SAC) def. PELCHAT, Laurence/DAVIDSON, Heather (UM) 8-2
2. BACA, Clarisse/MELIUK, Maria (SAC) def. CARTER, Sasha/MURRAY, Maddy (UM) 8-3
3. KNOEBL, Katharina/LOHSCHEIDT, Sophie (SAC) vs. GBADAMOSI, Precious/GIBSON, Lauren (UM) unfinished

Match Notes:
Montana 14-8
Sacramento State 17-9; National ranking #52
Order of finish: Doubles (1,2); Singles (1,3,5)