Griz end season on a high note

Sunday, April 23

Cheney, Wash.

11:00 AM (MT)

Montana

Eastern Washington

4/23/2017 9:38:00 PM | Women's Tennis

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana women's tennis team ended a season riddled with injuries and hindered by three 4-3 losses to Big Sky Conference opponents with an uplifting 5-2 road win at Eastern Washington on Sunday.

Facing a team that finished one spot out of the Big Sky tournament and played third-place Montana State to a 4-3 match on Saturday, the Grizzlies (3-19, 2-9 BSC) dominated singles on their way to snapping an eight-match losing streak.

"Everyone put together the ideas they have been learning this spring. It was a nice way to wrap up the year," said coach Steve Ascher.

Eastern Washington (5-15, 3-8 BSC) raced out to an early 1-0 lead with a pair of 6-3 wins in doubles, which wasn't a surprise. Montana won the doubles point just three times in 21 matches this spring against Division I competition.

What was a surprise was how the Grizzlies responded in singles.

Hannah Sulz, playing her final collegiate match, lost a three-tiebreaker thriller at No. 1, going to extra points in the first two sets and a super tiebreaker in the third to fall to Janaya Smith, 7-6 (7-3), 6-7 (6-8), 0-1 (8-10).

The rest of the Grizzlies picked up straight-set wins.

Nathalie Joanlanne improved to a team-best 6-5 in league with a 6-4, 6-1 win at No. 4, while Lidia Dukic, at 5-5, moved to .500 in Big Sky matches with a 7-6 (7-3), 6-2 win at No. 2 and Cam Kincaid, 4-4, evened her league mark with a 6-3, 6-4 win at No. 5.

Stanzi Stuijt wrapped up her Montana career with a win at No. 6, taking the first set 6-3 and building a 3-1 lead in the second before Carolina Lopez retired.

The Big Sky tournament will open on Thursday in Phoenix, with Northern Arizona and Idaho taking the top two seeds into Friday's semifinals.

Montana State, Idaho State, Northern Colorado and North Dakota round out the tournament field.

Montana 5, Eastern Washington 2
Apr 23, 2017 at Cheney, Wash.

Singles competition
1. Janaya Smith (EWU) def. Hannah Sulz (UM) 6-7 (3-7), 7-6 (8-6), 1-0 (10-8)
2. Lidia Dukic (UM) def. Faye Worrall (EWU) 7-6 (7-3), 6-2
3. Catherine Orfanos (UM) def. Erin Blessing (EWU) 6-4, 6-3
4. Nathalie Joanlanne (UM) def. Rachel Swindell (EWU) 6-4, 6-1
5. Cam Kincaid (UM) def. Valentina Sottile (EWU) 6-3, 6-4
6. Stanzi Stuijt (UM) def. Carolina Lopez (EWU) 6-3, 3-1, retired

Doubles competition
1. Janaya Smith/Faye Worrall (EWU) def. Catherine Orfanos/Hannah Sulz (UM) 6-3
2. Erin Blessing/Rachel Swindell (EWU) def. Nathalie Joanlanne/Cam Kincaid (UM) 6-3
3. Katrina Domingo/Marta Heinen (EWU) def. Lidia Dukic/Milica Panic (UM) 4-3, unfinished

Match notes:
Montana: 3-19, 2-9 BSC
Eastern Washington: 5-15, 3-8 BSC