Montana
Eastern Washington
Griz defeat Eagles, host Bobcats tomorrow
4/19/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
April 19, 2014
The stage is set for yet another memorable Brawl of the Wild.
The Montana Grizzlies men's tennis team (10-11, 8-1 Big Sky) defeated Eastern Washington (9-14, 4-6 BSC) 6-1 on Saturday afternoon, setting up a rivalry battle with a first-round bye at stake for next weekend's conference championship. The Griz host Montana State on Sunday at 2 p.m.
"I'm really happy with how our guys played in doubles and singles," Nord said. "I mean, there's nothing to critique at this point. They went out and really took care of business, so I was really happy with that."
The Griz played a duel outside on the sunny UM campus for the first time in 2014. Nord said the ability to play all six singles matches at the same time helps keep the matches' intensity at a high level.
"It helps all the kids stayed dialed in, because you warm up and then you go play," Nord said. "The matches are short, so it's short and very intense, instead of the four or five hour affair at the Peak. It's much better to have it outdoors, and I think we're better outdoors."
The Griz began by winning at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles, while No. 3 was abandoned to move on to singles play. Nord's team took five of six singles matches -- all in straight sets.
The most competitive match was a battle at No. 1 singles between Mikolaj Caruk and Robert Dula. Caruk won the first set 7-5, but Dula battled back with monster-sized forearm returns. Dula, a freshman from Croatia, has played the entire season at No. 1 singles, and plays with an incredible amount of intensity, yelling and outwardly expressing emotion with every hit.
"(Dula) is very solid," Nord said. "Mikolaj lost a little confidence in his forehand, but he hung in there. We had a chance to beat him, but it was after we clinched the team point, and there is a little bit of an edge that leaves the system when you know the team has won and you're the only one out there."
Nord added that he would have loved for Caruk to get the win over Dula, but he's more concerned with the senior defeating Niklas Brandes tomorrow afternoon. Brandes, MSU's top player, defeated Caruk two months ago 7-6 (8-6), 6-3. In that non-conference duel, MSU held off the Griz 4-3, so Caruk avenging the earlier loss to Brandes could be a huge factor in defeating the Bobcats.
"Brandes is very athletic," Nord said. "He's even better at their place, so I like Mikolaj's chances if he plays well."
Montana State (11-6, 7-2 BSC) defeated Eastern Washington 4-3 on Friday afternoon. The Griz, which has only lost to first-place Weber State in conference matches, are much improved over the team they were two months ago.
"The bye and the fact that it's the `Cats are both equally enormous," Nord said. "They're both very important to me and to the team. We want to beat MSU, and we want that No. 2 seed. Our guys know there is a lot on the line tomorrow, and so do their guys."
Montana 6, Eastern Washington 1
Saturday, April 19 2014 at Missoula, Mont. (University of Montana)
Doubles results
No. 1 Ethan Vaughn/Semion Branzburg (UM) vs. Robert Dula/Luke Thompson (EWU) 5-3 (abandoned)
No. 2 Mikolaj Caruk/Tomasz Soltyka (UM) def. Luke Ness/Rendell Burghart (EWU) 8-1
No. 3 Andrew Warren/Eric Braun (UM) def. Wacil Bendjelti/Eduardo Bringold (EWU) 8-2
Singles results
No. 1 Robert Dula (EWU) def. Mikolaj Caruk (UM) 5-7, 6-3, 1-0 (10-3)
No. 2 Andrew Warren (UM) def. Eduardo Bringold (EWU) 6-2, 6-1
No. 3 Tomasz Soltyka (UM) def. Luke Thompson (EWU) 6-3, 6-3
No. 4 Semion Branzburg (UM) def. Wacil Bendjelti (EWU) 6-2, 6-0
No. 5 Ethan Vaughn (UM) def. Rendelle Burghart (EWU) 6-2, 6-1
No. 6 Mimnagh-Fleming (UM) def. Stefan Farrar (EWU) 6-0, 6-2
Match notes
Montana: 10-11, 8-1 BSC
Eastern Washington: 9-14, 4-6 BSC
Players Mentioned
