Walker earns victory over Oregon as Griz drop pair of matches

Friday, February 15

Eugene, Ore.

11 AM (MT)

Montana

San Diego

Walker earns victory over Oregon as Griz drop pair of matches

2/15/2019 8:32:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 San Diego Box Score Oregon Box Score

By: Montana Sports Information

Montana freshman Alex Walker picked up a big win for her first in maroon and silver, defeating Taryn Fujimori of the Pac-12's Oregon Ducks to highlight a doubleheader for the UM women's tennis squad.

The Griz (0-7) opened their four-match trip to Eugene and Portland with a 0-4 loss to the San Diego Toreros (2-1) and the No. 64 ranked Solymar Colling at Oregon's Student Tennis Center on Friday morning.

In the afternoon match, Montana showed more signs of progression in the midst of the most difficult nonconference schedule in program history, with Walker taking the team's third win over a Pac-12 opponent this season in a 1-4 loss to the Ducks (5-3).

While the Griz have now taken seven-straight losses, head coach Steve Ascher isn't worried. The reason he lined up such a demanding schedule in the first place was for his young team to see the process of improvement in action, and he points Walker's win as proof positive UM is moving in the right direction.

"I thought we played good tennis against Oregon, and the doubles were also good against San Diego," said Ascher.

"I think we're aware that there are two outcomes, and both can be good, in ways. We just need to know what we can control, put out the effort, and figure out if we're moving forward or backward. As long as we're moving forward, we're fine. And I think we're moving forward."

Against the Toreros, Montana's Lidia Dukic and Lauren Dunlap put up a good fight on court two in the doubles round before falling 4-6, and Bianca Bostrom and Julia Ronney were tied 4-4 when the point was clinched for USD.

Senior Nathalie Joanlanne was on the verge of an upset on court four in singles after winning the first set 7-6 (7-3), but her match would remain unfinished as USD claimed wins on courts five, three, and one to clinch the victory.

In the second match of the day, Montana faced the Oregon Ducks - who boast a pair of nationally-ranked players, including the highest-ranked player UM will face this season in Shweta Sangwan at No. 55 this week – on their home court.

While Ronney put up a battle against Sangwan in the first set and Joanlanne was also on the verge of a first-set win, it was Walker who got the breakthrough win of the day for the Grizzlies on court six.

Walker, a freshman from Vancouver, B.C., jumped out to a first-set win and never looked back, defeating Fujimori in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3.

"She has been working really hard and applying some changes she's making into the match," said Ascher. "To come away with a Pac-12 win is huge."

Walker's win was the third for the Grizzlies over a Pac-12 opponent this season. Ronney and Dukic each claimed wins over Colorado two weeks ago for the only three individual victories UM has scored this season.

The Grizzlies now head north up I-5 to face the Portland Pilots on Saturday morning, followed by the opening Big Sky Conference match of the season for the Grizzlies against Portland State on Sunday. Links to live video and live scoring for the Portland match are available at GoGriz.com.