Montana
Sacramento State
Griz upset Sacramento State 4-3 in Missoula
3/27/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
The Montana Grizzlies men's tennis team may have won its most important match of the season so far Friday in Missoula, taking down second place Sacramento State 4-3.
The Griz (6-5/5-2 BSC) dramatically helped their chances of making the Big Sky tournament with the gritty win. They entered the match ranked sixth, which is the final spot to make the postseason tourney.
Sacramento State (7-10/5-2 BSC) fell back into a tie with Montana following the loss in a top-heavy Big Sky conference. The Griz passed Idaho State and currently sit in a tie for fifth.
Montana coach Kris Nord has stressed all season the importance of winning the doubles point, and Friday's match was a perfect example.
The Griz started slow, with the No. 1 team falling in a quick 6-3 match. The top squad received support from the rest of the line-up, however, as wins at No. 2 and 3 clinched the point for Montana.
With the doubles point in hand, the Griz just needed to win half of the singles matches, which they did. It looked like things would be easy for Montana, as Peter Mimnagh-Fleming won 6-4, 6-1 at No. 3.
Then, Alexandr Rudenco completed a 2-6, 6-1, 6-1 comeback victory at No. 5, and the Grizzlies were up 3-0 and just one point away from the clinch.
Sacramento State would not go easily, though. They bounced back with wins at No. 1 and 6 to climb within a point of Montana with the final two matches headed to third sets.
Victor Casadevall, a freshman who has only been with the team for three months, dominated his third set en route to a 6-7 (7-5), 6-3, 6-1 and the clinching point for the Griz. The freshman knew after the close loss in the first that he could turn it around.
"The first set was very close, and I knew I could beat that guy," Casadevall said. "So after losing the first set I just kept focused and doing my thing, and I knew I would have my chances to win the game, so I just kept playing and doing my best and I succeeded."
He sensed his opponent's energy was drained, and did his best to take advantage of it. He talked with Nord, who told him to slow down.
"I was rushing too much, trying to end the point to quick," Casadevall said, "and the other guy was cramping a bit and was very tired, so it was much better to put the ball in and make him run, and I could win the game like that."
Semion Branzburg dropped a close one in the final match, but the Griz walked away with the 4-3 victory. Nord said the match showed how important the doubles point is.
"That's an example of us having to have the doubles point, and then having three guys hero up," he said.
He was proud of the effort from all of his players, and specifically was happy with the three wins.
"I was really happy with Victor clinching the match at four, that was a tough match," Nord said. "He just showed great heart hanging in there. Peter did a great job. Alexandr Rudenco, great turnaround after losing the first badly and then winning 6-1, 6-2."
The Griz sealed the win thanks to two freshman, Rudenco and Casadevall, earning comeback victories. Nord said he knew they could pull it off the whole time.
"I have a lot of faith in those two to hang in there physically, even though they're freshman," Nord said. "I just knew if they hung tight and started playing a little better we'd have a chance, and they held both matches."
It is also great experience for younger players who haven't been in a situation like that before.
"That's priceless," Nord said. "It gives those guys confidence next time they're in that situation they have something to draw on and they know they can do it. I'd have been proud of them if we lost 4-3 today because of our effort, but winning 4-3 is a lot sweeter."
The Griz will be back in action tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. at PEAK Health and Wellness Center against conference leader Northern Arizona.
Montana 4, Sacramento State 3
Dr. Robert O. Lindsay Tennis Center, Missoula, Montana
March 27, 2015
Singles
1. Roy Brandys (SAC) def. Tomasz Soltyka (UM) 6-3, 7-6 (12-10)
2. Sean Kolar (SAC) def. Semion Branzburg (UM) 7-6 (7-2), 4-6, 6-3
3. Peter Mimnagh-Fleming (UM) def. Kasparas Zemaitelis (SAC) 6-4, 6-1
4. Victor Casadevall (UM) def. Niranjan Ram (SAC) 6-7 (7-5), 6-3, 6-1
5. Alexandr Rudenco (UM) def. Tom Miller (SAC) 2-6, 6-1, 6-1
6. Christopher Clayton (SAC) def. Yannick Schmidl (UM) 7-6 (7-2), 6-4
Doubles
1. Miller/Brandys (SAC) def. Soltyka/Mimnagh-Fleming (UM) 6-3
2. Branzburg/Schmidl (UM) def. Kolar/Ram (SAC) 6-4
3. Zach Fisher/Casadevall (UM) def. Clayton/Zemaitelis 6-3
Order of Finish
Singles: (3,5,1,6,4,2)
Doubles: (1,3,2)
Players Mentioned
