Thursday, April 27
Phoenix, Ariz.
9 AM (MT)
Montana
vs
Portland State
Photo by: Derek Johnson
Long time coming: Women’s tennis returns to Big Sky tourney
4/26/2023 12:17:00 PM | Women's Tennis
When faced with a choice between finishing school and joining the workforce or taking advantage of the extra year of NCAA eligibility afforded student-athletes during the pandemic, one factor trumped all others for Montana redshirt senior Lauren Dunlap: being a part of the first Grizzly women's tennis team to play at the Big Sky Championship in nearly a decade.
"This is why I did my fifth year," she said.
"I knew our team was good, and I didn't want to be done with my career having not gotten to conference. So, this was always my goal, and it feels good to end it this way."
That goal will officially be achieved for Dunlap and the rest of the UM netters Thursday morning when the No. 6 seed Griz take on No. 3 seed Portland State in the quarterfinal round of the conference tourney in Phoenix, Arizona.
Matches at the six-team tournament get underway before the desert heat sets in at the Phoenix Tennis Center, with the doubles round starting at 9 a.m. (MT), 8 a.m. (PT). Links to live scoring, programs, and brackets can be found on the Big Sky's Tournament Central page.
Montana, which hasn't played in the tourney since it moved from Sacramento to Phoenix in 2017, heads south at 6-12 overall and 3-5 in conference play, highlighted by a pair of key league wins over rivals Montana State and Idaho in Missoula.
The Griz will take on a PSU team that's loaded with senior talent, having won a combined four Big Sky Player of the Week honors this season. At 5-3 in league play and 11-11 overall, the Vikings is led by No. 1 Masa Ponomareva, a grad transfer from North Texas, and Elizabeth Strongina, who has won five straight and holds one of the league's top winning percentages at 13-6.
After receiving a first-round bye as the No. 1 seed, Northern Arizona awaits the winner of the Montana/Portland State match in the semifinal. The Lumberjacks enter the tournament as the No. 1 seed and odds-on favorite for a three-peat after sweeping its way through the conference schedule at 8-0 and 12-6 overall.
No. 2 Weber State, the No. 3 Vikings, No. 4 Idaho State, and No. 5 Sacramento State round out the field.
Montana fell to each of the other teams in this year's tournament but had to face all except PSU on the road during a brutal regular season schedule. The Vikings handed UM its only home loss, with the Griz suffering a rare loss in doubles and falling on the top four singles courts in a 5-2 final.
As UM looks to redeem that match on neutral courts in Phoenix, they do so with renewed focus.
After wrapping up the regular season two weeks ago with a gritty 4-3 win over Eastern Washington, the Griz will also have the advantage of an extended training block under their belts in preparation for the tournament.
Dunlap thinks the added practices give UM momentum as it makes a long-awaited return to the tourney.
"Practices have been really good, and every practice has been really focused. It just feels so good to have another match to work for. Usually, this time of year, we've been done. So, I feel like there's extra focus every day at practice, and we're so excited. We know we're playing Portland State, so we've been able to focus on them at practice," she added.
Montana will be able to lean on its doubles prowess as it gets set to take on the Vikings. Led by Dunlap, who, along with her partner Rosie Sterk, has posted the most wins in the league this year at 13-5, the Griz have used the doubles round as a springboard for their success, having won six of the last eight opening points.
However, one of those two doubles losses came on April 7 against the Vikings. Now Dunlap thinks the Griz have an opportunity for an upset.
"Honestly, we didn't show our best when we played them last time, which I like because now they're going to have a certain idea of us, but I think we can give them a lot more than we did in the regular season," she said.
"I think our doubles has been so good this season, but we didn't win the point against them in the first match. But we have been good in doubles, and if we beat them this time, I think it will set a good tone for the rest of the match."
In singles, senior Maria Goheen, who is set to return for her fifth season in 2024, has also been instrumental in UM's success with a team-best 5-3 conference record. She enters the tourney with momentum of her own, clinching Montana's win over EWU to punch its ticket to Phoenix.
Olivia Oosterbaan, another senior set to return next season, also played a key role in UM's win over EWU, sweeping her opponent in straight sets to climb her way out of a five-match slump to boost her confidence heading into the tourney.
A young Canadian duo has also played a key role for the Griz in singles. Sophomore Grace Haugen cemented herself at the top of the lineup and has been a fighter, with five of her last eight matches going to a third set, almost always against senior competition.
Freshman Hailey Murphy has also been strong, battling through injury this season to post six wins, tied for the second-most on the team.
"I'm just so proud of the team. I think it's so exciting, especially for Lauren, Maria, and Olivia. They've been here so long, they've kept working, kept their heads down and grinded away to give themselves a chance to go, and it's finally materialized. Honestly, it's a little bit surreal on my end," said head coach Steve Ascher.
"So, we're just excited, and we're excited to go down and make something happen."
The winner of the Big Sky tourney will receive the league's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
"This is why I did my fifth year," she said.
"I knew our team was good, and I didn't want to be done with my career having not gotten to conference. So, this was always my goal, and it feels good to end it this way."
That goal will officially be achieved for Dunlap and the rest of the UM netters Thursday morning when the No. 6 seed Griz take on No. 3 seed Portland State in the quarterfinal round of the conference tourney in Phoenix, Arizona.
Matches at the six-team tournament get underway before the desert heat sets in at the Phoenix Tennis Center, with the doubles round starting at 9 a.m. (MT), 8 a.m. (PT). Links to live scoring, programs, and brackets can be found on the Big Sky's Tournament Central page.
Montana, which hasn't played in the tourney since it moved from Sacramento to Phoenix in 2017, heads south at 6-12 overall and 3-5 in conference play, highlighted by a pair of key league wins over rivals Montana State and Idaho in Missoula.
The Griz will take on a PSU team that's loaded with senior talent, having won a combined four Big Sky Player of the Week honors this season. At 5-3 in league play and 11-11 overall, the Vikings is led by No. 1 Masa Ponomareva, a grad transfer from North Texas, and Elizabeth Strongina, who has won five straight and holds one of the league's top winning percentages at 13-6.
After receiving a first-round bye as the No. 1 seed, Northern Arizona awaits the winner of the Montana/Portland State match in the semifinal. The Lumberjacks enter the tournament as the No. 1 seed and odds-on favorite for a three-peat after sweeping its way through the conference schedule at 8-0 and 12-6 overall.
No. 2 Weber State, the No. 3 Vikings, No. 4 Idaho State, and No. 5 Sacramento State round out the field.
Montana fell to each of the other teams in this year's tournament but had to face all except PSU on the road during a brutal regular season schedule. The Vikings handed UM its only home loss, with the Griz suffering a rare loss in doubles and falling on the top four singles courts in a 5-2 final.
As UM looks to redeem that match on neutral courts in Phoenix, they do so with renewed focus.
After wrapping up the regular season two weeks ago with a gritty 4-3 win over Eastern Washington, the Griz will also have the advantage of an extended training block under their belts in preparation for the tournament.
Dunlap thinks the added practices give UM momentum as it makes a long-awaited return to the tourney.
"Practices have been really good, and every practice has been really focused. It just feels so good to have another match to work for. Usually, this time of year, we've been done. So, I feel like there's extra focus every day at practice, and we're so excited. We know we're playing Portland State, so we've been able to focus on them at practice," she added.
Montana will be able to lean on its doubles prowess as it gets set to take on the Vikings. Led by Dunlap, who, along with her partner Rosie Sterk, has posted the most wins in the league this year at 13-5, the Griz have used the doubles round as a springboard for their success, having won six of the last eight opening points.
However, one of those two doubles losses came on April 7 against the Vikings. Now Dunlap thinks the Griz have an opportunity for an upset.
"Honestly, we didn't show our best when we played them last time, which I like because now they're going to have a certain idea of us, but I think we can give them a lot more than we did in the regular season," she said.
"I think our doubles has been so good this season, but we didn't win the point against them in the first match. But we have been good in doubles, and if we beat them this time, I think it will set a good tone for the rest of the match."
In singles, senior Maria Goheen, who is set to return for her fifth season in 2024, has also been instrumental in UM's success with a team-best 5-3 conference record. She enters the tourney with momentum of her own, clinching Montana's win over EWU to punch its ticket to Phoenix.
Olivia Oosterbaan, another senior set to return next season, also played a key role in UM's win over EWU, sweeping her opponent in straight sets to climb her way out of a five-match slump to boost her confidence heading into the tourney.
A young Canadian duo has also played a key role for the Griz in singles. Sophomore Grace Haugen cemented herself at the top of the lineup and has been a fighter, with five of her last eight matches going to a third set, almost always against senior competition.
Freshman Hailey Murphy has also been strong, battling through injury this season to post six wins, tied for the second-most on the team.
"I'm just so proud of the team. I think it's so exciting, especially for Lauren, Maria, and Olivia. They've been here so long, they've kept working, kept their heads down and grinded away to give themselves a chance to go, and it's finally materialized. Honestly, it's a little bit surreal on my end," said head coach Steve Ascher.
"So, we're just excited, and we're excited to go down and make something happen."
The winner of the Big Sky tourney will receive the league's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
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