Griz tennis returns home looking to stay unbeaten

Montana vs Whitman
Friday, Feb. 11, 11 a.m.
• Live Scoring
• Live Updates @MontanaGrizMTEN

Montana vs Whitworth
Sunday, Feb. 13, 9 a.m.
• Live Scoring
• Live Updates @MontanaGrizMTEN

MISSOULA, Mont. - For all the success the Montana men's tennis team has seen in the first month of the season, head coach Jason Brown has yet to see exactly how good his team can be.

But off to the first 4-0 start in modern program history with pair of upsets over Mountain West Conference teams, one thing is for sure: these Grizzlies are going to fight and scrap for every point.

"The thing I like most about this team is we haven't necessarily had our healthiest or best lineup in each match, and people haven't always played their best, but the guys have adapted and found ways to win," said Brown.

"We talk a lot about winning without your best tennis, and they've proven they can do it, which, is in the end, is going to be more important than winning when it's easy."

The Grizzlies will get two chances to find that perfect match this week, returning home to face the D-III Whitman College Blues and Whitworth Pirates in a pair of non-conference dual matches at the Peak Racquet Club in Missoula.

Montana opens the homestand with Whitman (0-0) on Friday morning, with the doubles round getting underway at 11 a.m. at the Peak. Following a day of rest, the Griz cap the weekend against Whitworth (0-2) in a Sunday morning matinee at 9 a.m. at the Peak.

Both matches are open to the public, with free admission to the Peak facility off Blue Mountain Road. For those unable to attend, links to live scoring can be found at GoGriz.com/MTEN.

The Griz will get the chance to look inward this week with two D-III opponents coming to Missoula. But despite the lower classification, he knows his team will still be in for a challenge while adding reps and valuable minutes up and down the roster.

And with a 23-2 home record since 2018 and two-straight seasons without a loss in Missoula, Brown says the added reps at the Peak will prove extra valuable when the conference schedule rolls around.

"With our good home record, we're just looking to get everyone more comfortable at home, feeling more dominant, and building some confidence here at the Peak," said Brown.

"It will also be a good weekend to get some matches for the freshmen and some of the guys who haven't played much because of injury or illness. So, it will give us a good idea of how everyone on the squad has progressed from the fall."

Ed Pudney, the defending Big Sky Player of the Week, sees the strong start to the season and the weekend ahead as a great opportunity for the Griz to build even more momentum.

"It's a great start season for us and gives a lot of confidence going forward. We have couple home matches now, and we really want to build on that confidence," said Pudney.

"We're trying to set the tone for what is hopefully the start to a great season ahead."

//GRIZ TRACKS//

TWO FOR TWO: Montana has only played two weekends of competition but has already landed two Big Sky Player of the Week awards.

Junior Lawrence Sciglitano earned the league's weekly accolade after going undefeated against Air Force and Eastern Washington in singles and doubles.

Pudney followed that up with a sweep of Boise State and Seattle last week to earn the second Player of the Week award of his career.

HOME SWEET HOME: Montana enters the weekend with a phenomenal 23-2 home record under head coach Jason Brown. The Griz have remained undefeated in Missoula for two straight seasons, with the last loss coming against Sacramento State on April 4, 2019.

The Griz will look to lean on that home-court advantage in 2022 with four of the traditionally strongest teams in the Big Sky all traveling to Missoula in Weber State (3/26), Idaho State (4/2), defending champion Northern Arizona (4/3), and Sac State (4/12).

HOT STARTS: Pudney and fellow senior Oisin Shaffrey have been taking care of business for the Griz at the top of the lineup so far this season.

As a pair, both have remained undefeated in doubles play at 4-0 on court one so far this year, and both have run out to a 3-1 singles record.

FAB FROSH: Freshman big man Gustav Theilgaard has also kept an unblemished record in his first season in maroon and silver, sitting at 2-0 on court four singles and 3-0 on courts two and three in doubles.

SUPER SENIORS: Three of Montana's four seniors picked up a win in doubles and singles to lead the Griz to a 4-1 win over Seattle last week in Boise. Milo Benn, along with Shaffrey and Pudney each came out victorious, with Benn pairing up with Theilgaard on court three doubles.

Benn is now 2-1 in both singles and doubles after clinching the victory over Air Force in three sets on court six singles.

SCOUTING WHITMAN: The Blues open their 2022 campaign in both Missoula and Lewiston, Idaho, this week, splitting the 17-man squad for matches against the Griz and Lewis-Clark state on Friday.

Whitman is led by long-time head coach Jeff Northam – the winningest coach in Whitman Athletics history. The Blues went 6-2 in Northwest Conference play in 2021, finishing third in the league standings.

SCOUTING WHITWORTH: The Pirates (0-2) will bring some local flavor to the Peak on Sunday, with Missoula Sentinel grad Ethan Violette suiting up for WU. The junior is 0-2 on court No. 1 for the Pirates so far this season.

Last time Whitworth visited in a 2021 doubleheader, Violette pushed a pair of Grizzlies in the first set before falling in 6-4, 6-1 decisions on court two.

This year the Pirates come to Missoula with a 7-0 loss to Montana State and a 6-1 loss to Eastern Washington on their record, but also have a 9-0 exhibition win over the Community College of Spokane under their belts.

Whitworth is led by head coach Cameron Williams, who brings a young team to Missoula this week, featuring just four upperclassmen on the 11-man squad.

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Players Mentioned

Milo Benn

Ed Pudney

Lawrence Sciglitano

Oisin Shaffrey

Gustav Theilgaard

University of Montana Athletics