Montana
Sacramento State
Griz lose to conference leader Sacramento State
3/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
On their second day of a California road swing, the Montana Grizzlies women's tennis team fell to conference leader and nationally ranked Sacramento State.
The Grizzlies (5-8/4-1 BSC) top doubles team of Precious Gbadamosi and Laurence Pelchat earned their second victory in as many days, but once again Montana wasn't able to clinch the doubles point.
Senior Sasha Carter picked up the only point of the day for Montana with a hard-fought 7-6 (3), 5-7, 1-0 (10-4) victory at No. 2 singles. Cam Kincaid played a good match at No. 5, but came up just short in the third set tiebreak.
Sacramento State(12-9/7-0 BSC) is currently ranked No. 73 in the nation, and have won the Big Sky conference 13 straight times. Coach Steve Ascher said that playing the Hornets on their home court is a very, very tough match.
"Sac State played well defending their home courts today," he said. "We want to continue to push the program forward and learn how to push these nationally ranked teams. That's why we play such a strong schedule full of national caliber teams is to push ourselves to get to the next level faster."
Ascher also said that it was good experience for the Griz, who will conclude their California trip tomorrow against UC-Davis.
"We learned a lot today and have another great match tomorrow against UC-Davis to improve upon what we learned today and keep growing," he said.
Gbadamosi is playing after missing last weekend with a high ankle sprain, but Ascher said she is playing through it.
"It's one of those things that happens and she has moved on and continued to do what she needs to do to get the most out of herself and give to the team," Ascher said. "That's the kind of person you want in your business place to work alongside every day."
Carter and Gbadamosi are both seniors, and Ascher enjoys every day that he gets to watch them on the court.
"Sasha and Precious continue to compete at a very high level," he said. "All you can do as a player is bring your best self each day and battle until you have exhausted every ounce of effort or shake hands with a victory. I embrace each day watching Sasha and Precious play at this level, they are having very good seasons."
Montana plays UC-Davis Sunday morning at 12 p.m.
Montana 1, Sacramento State 6
Sacramento, California
March 28, 2015
Singles
1. Alina Soltanici (SAC) def. Precious Gbadamosi (UM) 7-6 (6), 6-3
2. Sasha Carter (UM) def. Anna-Maria Nau (SAC) 7-6 (3), 5-7, 1-0 (10-4)
3. Deimante Bulatovaite (SAC) def. Laurence Pelchat (UM) 7-5, 6-2
4. Ana Loaiza Esquivias (SAC) def. Hannah Sulz (UM) 6-3, 6-3
5. Jennifer Ong (SAC) def. Cam Kincaid (UM) 2-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-8)
6. Daria Savchenko (SAC) def. Catherine Orfanos (UM) 6-1, 6-3
Doubles
1. Gbadamosi/Pelchat (UM) def. Soltanici/Bulatovaite 6-4
2. Savchenko/Loaiza (SAC) def. Carter/Orfanos (UM) 6-4
3. Ong/Trylovich (SAC) def. Kincaid/Sulz (UM) 6-1
Players Mentioned
