Griz fall to Fighting Hawks, 4-3, to conclude three-match Vegas tour

Sunday, February 20

Las Vegas, Nev.

11 AM (MT)

Montana

North Dakota

Griz fall to Fighting Hawks, 4-3, to conclude three-match Vegas tour

2/20/2022 3:54:00 PM | Women's Tennis

Box Score

The Montana women's tennis team concluded its three-match tour in Vegas Sunday afternoon after squaring off against North Dakota, extending its record to 4-5. The team went 1-2 on the weekend, falling to both UNLV and North Dakota.

"It was a battle that went down to the wire today. We are seeing players continuing to step up and grow, now we just need to put it all together on the same day and win one of these tight matches," said head coach Steve Ascher.

The day started out with the Griz clinching the doubles point after dominant performances from Rosie Sterk, Lauren Dunlap, Maria Goheen and Grace Haugen. On court three, Sterk and Dunlap paired up to take on UND's Bowles/Heinitz, where they won 6-1. Shortly after on court two, Goheen and Haugen tallied their second win as a pair after defeating the Rizza/Ochotorena duo. Juniors Olivia Oosterbaan and Ivayla Mitkova played North Dakota's Sela/Jansson where they fell 6-3.

Though Montana had the momentum going in singles, North Dakota picked up a momentum of its own on court four, where Nore Heinitz took down Grizzly Goheen in straight sets (6-2, 6-3), to make the score 1-1.

In position three, senior Dunlap played Fighting Hawk Allie Ochotorena where she lost in three sets (6-3, 4-6, 1-6), making the score 1-2.

Grizzly Alex Walker had a dominant performance in position six facing Angela Georgieva. The senior won in straight sets, 7-6 (4), 6-3, to knot up the score and keep it close.

UM's Mitkova battled it out with Lucia Rizza in position five, going back-and-forth during the match. Rizza took the first set 6-1, but Mitkova came back in the second to win 6-4, bringing the match to three sets. In the third set, Mitkova fell 4-6, giving UND the lead.

Freshman Haugen gave sophomore Sepir Sela a run for her money on court one. Though Sela won in straight sets, Haugen forced her to seven in the first set and a tiebreaker in the second set (7-5, 7-6 (4)). Sela's performance clinched the win for North Dakota, putting the Fighting Hawks up 4-2 with one match left to play.

Montana's Oosterbaan faced Andrea Jansson on court two where she came back from a first-set loss to win the match. Jansson took the first set 6-4, but Oosterbaan kicked it into gear to win the next two sets 6-3, 6-1. Oosterbaan helped the Griz earn the last point of the day, bringing the final score to 3-4.

"We're excited to fly back home and play our first home matched of the year against Utah State and the University of Portland," added Ascher.

The Griz head back to Missoula where they will be back in action Friday, Feb. 25 at 12:30 p.m. to face Utah State, and Sunday, Feb. 27 at 10:30 a.m. to face Portland. Both matches will take place in Missoula, Mont. at the PEAK Racquet Club. Admission is free for all fans and spectators.