Montana
Weber State
Griz lose at home for first time this season
3/21/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
The match was just as close as the score indicated, as both teams were intense from the word go. Weber State (9-9/4-1 BSC) won the first doubles match 6-1 at No. 1, and it looked like they would cruise to the point.
Montana (5-5/4-2 BSC) fought back, however, and Semion Branzburg and Yannick Schmidl were able to get a win at No. 2. In the match to decide it, Montana was up 2-1 with a break, but Weber State won the final five games to get the doubles point. Kris Nord thought that match was the most important of the day.
"I probably go back to our No. 3 doubles where we're ahead 2-1 and up a break and we don't play well from there on," he said. "That was a real important match for us to get, to get the doubles point, because I know these guys are deep like we are and it would be hard to go win four singles, which it was."
After much intensity in the doubles competition, tempers began flaring in the singles. Semion Branzburg came out and dominated at No. 2 singles, winning 6-4, 6-0, with a game given to him due to repeated court misconduct's from his opponent. Branzburg has been hot lately, much to the pleasure of his coach.
"Semion's been a rock for us," Nord said. "He's just been on a roll and he's got a tough game for other people to match up with. I'm real encouraged by his play, we need him winning matches for us."
The match set the tone for the day, as the atmosphere indoors at PEAK reflected that of a postseason match. Weber State's Jakub Gewert won 6-3, 6-2 at No. 1 singles to put Weber State back on top.
At No. 3 singles, Montana's Peter Mimnagh-Fleming lost the first set, but was up 5-2 in the second and appeared to be closing in on a third set. But Todd Fought of Weber State rallied, and was able to win the match 7-6 (7-3), 7-5.
The Grizzlies had another opportunity at No. 4 singles, where Victor Casadevall won the first set easily, 6-1. Casadevall wasn't able to finish the second set, losing a close one 7-5, before being defeated 6-1 in the third.
"We had chances," Nord said. "Peter had chances to get to the third set and Victor could have finished his in two sets, but that team is more veteran than us and it showed a little bit."
The match had already been decided with Weber State holding a 4-1 lead, but Montana's final two players showed no quit to close the day. Alexandr Rudenco and Yannick Schmidl both rallied and won in third set tiebreakers. Nord loved his players fight, even after the match was decided.
"It's hard to stay up, and I thought they both didn't just do a good job, they did a great job of hanging in there and winning those points, because that could matter," he said. "I just like seeing our guys finishing matches."
Montana 3, Weber State 4
PEAK Health and Wellness Center, Missoula, Montana
March 21, 2015
Singles
1. Jakub Gewert (WSU) def. Tomasz Soltyka (UM) 6-3, 6-2
2. Semion Branzburg (UM) def. Stefan Cooper (WSU) 6-4, 6-0
3. Todd Fought (WSU) def. Peter Mimnagh-Fleming (UM) 7-6 (7-3), 7-5
4. Landon Barlow (WSU) def. Victor Casadevall (UM) 1-6, 7-5, 6-1
5. Alexandr Rudenco (UM) def. Jack Yin (WSU) 4-6, 6-3, 1-0 (12-10)
6. Yannick Schmidl (UM) def. Sanjay Goswami (WSU) 6-4, 6-7 (7-5), 1-0 (10-4)
Doubles
1. Cooper/Goswami (WSU) def. Soltyka/Mimnagh-Fleming (UM) 6-1
2. Branzburg/Schmidl (UM) def. Fought/Gewert (WSU) 6-3
3. Edward Chen/Barlow (WSU) def. Casadevall/Zach Fisher (UM) 6-2
Order of Finish
Singles (2,1,3,4,5,6)
Doubles (1,2,3)
Players Mentioned
