Montana
Northern Arizona
Statement victory: Griz win 6-1 over Lumberjacks
3/30/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
March 30, 2014
The Northern Arizona men's tennis team, which had dropped just a single point in its last three home matches, was undefeated at home this season. Until Sunday.
Montana lost just one singles match -- and that in three sets -- and improved to 4-0 in the Big Sky Conference with a surprising 6-1 victory over the Lumberjacks Sunday in a match played at Sedona, Ariz., after a high-winds warning moved the match out of Flagstaff.
"That was pretty impressive and a lot of fun to watch," UM coach Kris Nord said. "We played awesome, and that makes for a pretty good day.
"When we get everybody clicking at the same time, we're a pretty dang good team right now."
The Grizzlies (6-8, 4-0 BSC) are one of two remaining unbeaten teams in the Big Sky, along with Weber State (11-9, 7-0 BSC). Every other team in the Big Sky has at least two league losses.
Montana will face the Wildcats next Saturday at Ogden, Utah, as the fourth of five matches on its long and winding spring break trip.
Montana will play at UNLV Wednesday afternoon and at Idaho State next Sunday morning.
The Grizzlies lost at No. 2 doubles to fall into an early hole against the Lumberjacks (7-8, 3-3 BSC) but got wins at No. 1 from senior Ethan Vaughn and sophomore Semion Branzburg and No. 3 from seniors Eric Braun and Andrew Warren to rally for the doubles point.
Senior Mikolaj Caruk won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 1 singles, and Branzburg pulled out a 7-5 tiebreaker in his opening set at No. 4 on his way to a 7-6, 6-2 victory to put Montana up 3-0.
Warren clinched the victory for the Grizzlies with a 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 win at No. 2.
Vaughn had an easy 6-2, 6-1 win at No. 5, freshman Peter Mimnagh-Fleming matched Caruk with a 6-0, 6-0 blanking at No. 6.
"Miko probably played his best match of the year, as did Peter. Those are pretty good 6-0, 6-0 wins over kids who've been winning for them," Nord said.
"Warren and Branzburg had really good wins at two and four, and those were the two we had to have. Semion had a great comeback in his tiebreaker, and Andrew had to fight back to win his match."
The win was the third in four matches for Montana, which closes its season with five straight home matches after facing Idaho State next Sunday.
"I feel great about how this team is coming together," Nord added. "I think we're getting better every day, and that's the whole goal."
Montana 6, Northern Arizona 1
March 30, 2014 at Sedona, Ariz. (Enchantment Resort)
Singles competition
1. Caruk, Mikolaj (UM) def. LOCCI, Alexandre (NAU) 6-0, 6-0
2. Warren, Andrew (UM) def. GOBATIE, Jordan (NAU) 6-4, 1-6, 6-3
3. TOMASETTI, Fabio (NAU) def. Soltyka, Tomasz (UM) 6-3, 3-6, 6-2
4. Branzburg, Semion (UM) def. BLACK, Kester (NAU) 7-6 (7-5), 6-2
5. Vaughn, Ethan (UM) def. UNGER, Trevor (NAU) 6-2, 6-1
6. Mimnagh-Fleming, Peter (UM) def. MENGERT, Blaine (NAU) 6-0, 6-0
Doubles competition
1. VAUGHN, Ethan/BRANZBURG, Semion (UM) def. BLACK, Kester/TOMASETTI, Fabio (NAU) 8-4
2. GOBATIE, Jordan/LOCCI, Alexandre (NAU) def. CARUK, Mikolaj/MIMNAGH-FLEMING, Peter (UM) 8-3
3. WARREN, Andrew/BRAUN, Eric (UM) def. BARRIOS, Alan/UNGER, Trevor (NAU) 8-3
Match Notes:
Montana: 6-8, 4-0 BSC
Northern Arizona: 7-8, 3-3 BSC
Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (1,4,2,5,3,6)
Players Mentioned
