Griz load up with three matches this week

The Montana men's tennis team needs to play some matches.

With an already light schedule due to UM's late return from the winter break, the Griz have had two matches canceled on them due to weather and travel issues, including their highly anticipated conference opener against Idaho last week.

That match has since been rescheduled (April 12 - 2 p.m.), but with the bulk of conference play right around the corner the Griz (2-1, 0-0 BSC) need to get quality court time against someone wearing a different color shirt if they are to return to the Big Sky Championship.

This week, the Griz will get just that as they head south for a pair of matches against opponents from strong conferences before returning home to open league play against North Dakota.

THE DETAILS
Montana opens play on Wednesday this week with a nonconference match against the UNLV Rebels - the No. 3 ranked team in the Mountain Region - at 5 p.m. (MT) in Las Vegas.

While in Vegas, the Griz will get their first-ever taste of MAC-tion, playing a neutral-site dual against the Ball State Cardinals from Indiana. That match gets underway on Thursday, March 8 at 11 a.m. (MT). Both the UNLV and Ball State matches will be held at the Fertitta Tennis Complex.

UM will then hop a plane and head for home where they'll begin Big Sky play against the North Dakota Fighting Hawks on Saturday, March 10 at 10 a.m. at the Peak Racquet Club in Missoula, just off Blue Mountain Road.

THE GRIZ
Montana enters the busy week fresh off a 4-3 road win over Montana State in Bozeman that gave the Griz their first taste of action against a similar opponent. UM's previous two nonconference matches came against NAIA Lewis-Clark State (a 7-0 win), and the Pac-12's Utah Utes (a 7-0 loss).

Against the Cats, the Griz shook off a slow start in the doubles round and overpowered MSU in singles to snap their two-match conference win streak - a pair of upsets over Idaho State and Weber State.

The win gave UM its seventh-straight victory over the in-state rival dating back to 2014, the same year Montana rebounded to win the program's first Big Sky Championship and advance to the NCAA tournament.

Despite the lack of match play against a peer program, Montana is in a position to make a big step forward this week, easing into conference play against favored over North Dakota, as opposed to diving in the deep end against the defending champion Idaho Vandals.

"I like the way this week sets us up for conference play. The guys are ready for that," said Interim Head Coach Jason Brown. "I'm excited for us to get some competitive matches in Nevada and assess where we stand.

"This feels like the start of our season in some ways. Three matches in four days feels like the heart of tennis season."

SCOUTING UNLV
Montana will once again test itself against one of the strongest teams in the west when it takes on UNLV on their home turf.

At 4-4 on the year, the Rebels have only faced one similar opponent to UM, defeating Weber State 4-0 in early February.

"We're not pressuring ourselves. We know what UNLV brings at home, and they're tough," says Brown. "It's our first outdoor match of the season. We want to compete, but this will help us gear up for conference."

The Rebels are led by two-time All-Mountain West player Alex Cozbinov, named the Mountain West Player of the Week for Feb. 12 after defeating UCLA's Martin Redlicki on court one 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in Westwood.

At No. 89 in the nation, Cozbinov is the highest ranked player any Grizzly will face this season, and senior Victor Casadevall will get the chance to play giant killer.

"I'm excited for him to see that level of competition," said Brown. "It can only make him better as we head into Big Sky play."

SCOUTING BALL STATE
The Cardinals head to Vegas with a 10-2 record, currently sitting on top of the Mid-American Conference standings with three-straight wins. In that 10-win stretch, BSU has beaten the likes of Xavier, Belmont and Detroit Mercy, while dropping its two matches to Indiana (1-6) and Michigan State (0-4).

Ball State's doubles pair of Chris Adams and Tom Carney was named the MAC's Doubles Team of the Week in late January after posting a 3-0 record in one weekend that included wins over Indiana, Eastern Illinois, and Belmont.

"I think Ball State will be a very winnable match for us," said Brown. "The guys are ready to go and be outside against an unfamiliar opponent and really compete."

SCOUTING NORTH DAKOTA
The Griz finish their weekend in the friendly confines of the Peak Racquet Club in Missoula for their first Big Sky match of the season, hosting North Dakota.

The Fighting Hawks (1-6) come to Missoula picked to finish last in the Big Sky preseason poll this year, but that one win was a big one. UND opened the season at home with a huge upset over perennial Big Sky powerhouse Sacramento State, who was picked to finish third in the preseason poll, just one point ahead of the Griz.

NOTES

The Presidential Treatment
The Griz had a special guest join them for their Monday workout session in the new Washington-Grizzly Champions Center this week.

New UM President Seth Bodnar joined the team for a fitness session led by the team's strength and conditioning staff. Bodnar, a former Green Beret, West Point Cadet, and Div. I baseball player, reportedly kept pace with the students during the workout. No word yet on the status of his forehand, however.

A Long Cold Winter
Montana has played the fewest matches of anyone in the Big Sky so far this spring, with only three matches under the team's belt. Idaho has played the next-fewest matches to date with six (3-3).

Player of the Week Nomination
Casadevall earned Montana's nomination for Big Sky Player of the Week after going undefeated against MSU in singles and doubles. Casadevall, who has led the Griz on court one all season, defeated MSU's Alex Flink in straight-sets 6-1, 7-5. He also picked up a win in doubles with his partner Ignacio Tejerina on court three (6-3).

Clutch Clincher
Montana freshman Ludvig Hallgren sealed the come-from-behind win for Montana over Montana State last week with a straight-sets win on court six. The sophomore has been one of UM's most consistent performers this season at 2-1, with his one loss being a three set grinder with Utah's Joe Wolley.

An honor to work out with President @SethBodnar today in the Champions Center!#GoGriz #GrizTennis #WeAreMT pic.twitter.com/bX6m8ZOvxK
— Montana Griz Tennis (@MontanaGrizTEN) March 6, 2018

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Players Mentioned

Victor Casadevall

Ludvig Hallgren

Ignacio Tejerina

University of Montana Athletics