Griz sweep Pirates in doubleheader

Sunday, February 21

Missoula, Mont.

9 AM

Montana

Whitworth

2/21/2021 5:28:00 PM | Men's Tennis

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana men's tennis team took care of business in its home opener against the Whitworth Pirates, cruising to a pair of 7-0 wins in a doubleheader sweep at the PEAK Racquet Club in Missoula.

The Grizzly scorecard was unblemished throughout the day, winning both matches in straight sets down the line in singles and doubles.

In its first action in nearly a month, Montana won the morning match 7-0 and repeated the shutout in the afternoon to improve to 3-4 on the season, while Whitworth remains searching for its first win at 0-5.

"We needed some matches and got some good ones today. All the new guys got to play at home, and it was a real professional effort. Whitworth put up a nice fight in some spots. They're well-coached and are a good group of guys, so it's nice to keep a regional rivalry going too," said head coach Jason Brown.

"It was also a nice performance by Chase Bartlett, but across the board, everyone played well. It was nice to be back at it at home."

Gallery: (2-21-2021) MTEN:: vs Whitworth 02.21.2021

Bartlett, Montana's All-American grad transfer, picked up his first singles wins in maroon and silver with victories on courts two and three and swept in doubles as well. His win in the second match came over Missoula native and Sentinel High grad Ethan Violette, who hung tough with Bartlett in the first set, but was outmatched in the second, falling 6-4, 6-1.

In addition to Bartlett playing his first matches in Missoula, Freshmen Sam Nicholson, Guillermo Martin, and Moritz Stoeger each picked up victories in their first matches at the Peak, where Montana has gone 9-2 over the last two seasons.

Grizzly sophomore Josh Watkins also picked up his first wins in dual matches since last spring, where he got his first win at Montana against Whitworth before the season was canceled due to the pandemic.

Montana now prepares to ramp up the intensity in two weeks with a trip to the Wasatch front and matches against powerhouses BYU and Utah on March 5 and 6. The Griz then open Big Sky play two weeks later at Portland State on March 21.