Bengals rally to break Griz hearts

Friday, March 30

Pocatello, Idaho

Noon

Montana

Idaho State

3/30/2018 7:50:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

It was as close as they come.

With the Montana women's tennis team up 3-1 and on the verge of picking up their second-straight upset, the Idaho State Bengals put on a comeback for the ages, rallying for a 4-3 win that came down to a third-set tiebreaker.

After winning the doubles point, Montana cruised to victory on courts one and four in singles.
Freshmen Julia Ronney and Bianca Bostrom made quick work of their opponents early in the singles round after UM took 6-1 and 6-4 wins to clinch the doubles.

On her birthday, Ronney picked up her second-straight win over player that had previously won a Big Sky Player of the Week award this season.

Against ISU Ronney defeated Hristina Cvetkovic 6-4, 6-1, who earned the league's weekly honor on March 14. Against Weber, Ronney dominated Caitlin Herb 6-1, 6-1, who was named Player of the Week on March 7.

With all the momentum, it looked as though it was only a matter of time before the Griz clinched the win.

But the momentum shifted when Nathalie Joanlanne lost a grueling three-set match on court three to Louise-Mare Botes (6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7-4)) that would have sealed the deal for UM.

With the Bengals now close behind the Griz at 3-2, the loss took the wind out of Montana's sails as the match came down to the final two points on courts five and six.

When Joanlanne's loss came about, Montana was still in an ideal position to take a win, with Catherine Orfanos and Lidia Dukic each up a set on five and six. But Idaho State changed all that, dominating the second set on both courts to force a third set.

On court six, Angela Walker outlasted Dukic in the tiebreaker set (4-6, 6-1, 6-2) to tie the match 3-3.

With all the pressure on, Orfanos responded. The senior stormed back from a 5-2 deficit in the third set to tie the match and force at breaker with the overall result hanging in the balance. But when the breaker started, Orfanos' hot streak ran dry, and she settled for a dramatic 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-1) loss, and the Grizzlies left Pocatello with a 4-3 loss.

The Griz now fall to 7-10 and 3-4 in conference play. They now prepare to return to the road next week to face UNLV and Southern Utah before returning home for the final three matches of the season.

Idaho State 4, Montana 3

Singles competition
1. RONNEY, Julia (UM) def. CVETKOVIC, Hristina (ISU) 6-4, 6-3
2. BOTES, Huibre-Mare (ISU) def. KINCAID, Cam (UM) 6-4, 6-2
3. BOTES, Louise-Mare (ISU) def. JOANLANNE, Nathalie (UM) 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7-4)
4. BOSTROM, Bianca (UM) def. COBURN, Melissa (ISU) 6-4, 6-2
5. POE, Megan (ISU) def. ORFANOS, Catherine (UM) 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-1)
6. WALKER, Angela (ISU) def. DUKIC, Lidia (UM) 4-6, 6-1, 6-2

Doubles competition
1. POE, Megan/CVETKOVIC, Hristina (ISU) vs. KINCAID, Cam/BOSTROM, Bianca (UM) unfinished
2. JOANLANNE, Nathalie/ORFANOS, Catherine (UM) def. BOTES, Huibre-Mare/BOTES, Louise-Mare (ISU) 6-1
3. RONNEY, Julia/DUKIC, Lidia (UM) def. COBURN, Melissa/FENSKE, Madison (ISU) 6-4

Match Notes:
Montana 7-11, 3-4 BSC
Idaho State 7-9, 4-2 BSC
Order of finish: Doubles (2,3); Singles (1,2,4,3,5)