Friday, October 4
Pocatello, Idaho
All Day
Montana
at
Bengal Invitational
Griz make deep runs at Bengal Invitational
10/7/2024 5:05:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Montana men's tennis team captain Fernando Perez advanced to the singles title match to highlight the Grizzlies' weekend at Idaho State's Bengal Invitational on the outdoor courts at Capell Park in Chubbuck.
Perez and junior Baltazar Wiger-Nordas also made it through to the semifinal of the doubles draw, and Wiger-Nordas pushed through to the semifinal of the singles draw as well in a single bracket made up of players from some of the best teams in the region, including BYU, Utah, Utah State, Eastern Washington, and the host Bengals.
All told, UM went 3-4 in doubles and 9-6 in singles, with three Grizzly freshmen and six players overall making the trip from Missoula. Five of the six Grizzlies also picked up wins in the first round of singles.
Perez defeated opponents from Idaho State, Utah, and Utah State to advance to the championship match where he went three sets with ISU No. 1 Valentino De Pellegrin, but lost momentum in a second-set tiebreaker to finish as the tournament's runner-up.
"It was a good tournament and gave us some good information going forward. I was happy to see two guys in the doubles semi and one in the singles final. We kind of got bit by the injury bug a little by the end of the event, which is part of the fall season. It's a chance for us to toughen up for spring. But I continue to be impressed with how these guys conduct themselves on the court," said head coach Jason Brown.
"Fernando played a really solid match against Idaho State's number one player and had some chances in the final, but home court advantage is a real thing, and I think they did a good job taking care of that."
The Bengal Invite was the final tune-up event for the Grizzlies before heading to the premiere event of the fall tournament season – the ITA Mountain Regional, this year held at UNLV in Las Vegas Oct. 17-22.
New this year, the winners of the ITA Mountain Regional tourney singles and doubles draws will automatically qualify for the NCAA Individual championships in Texas this coming November.
Montana will send its top five players to Vegas, with the new format adding extra motivation for the Grizzlies to play their best tennis of the fall.
"The regional tournament is always an exciting opportunity to make a run, and it's an even better format now that making the finals gets you a chance to compete for a national championship. That's a pretty cool reward." said Brown.
"It's the crown jewel of our fall and what we push toward, so we're ready to practice hard this week and see if we can set some records down there."
Idaho State Bengal Invite – Montana Results
DOUBLES
Friday, October 4
First Round (R16)
Fernando Perez/Baltazar Wiger-Nordas (UM) def. Jowan Rawson/Sam Wensley (ISU) 8-4
Duncan McCall/Johnny Wilkinson (UM) def. Lewie Bouman/Quentin Lamothe (ISU) 8-7 (7-5)
Alex Edmonston/Otto Schreiner (BYU) def. Moritz Lesjak/Jake Watkins (UM) 8-1
Saturday, October 5
Quarterfinals
Fernando Perez/Baltazar Wiger-Nordas (UM) def. Nicolas Calixto/Charles Frey (UU) 8-4
Dmitri Goubin/Eliot Nobel (USU) def. Duncan McCall/Johnny Wilkinson (UM) 8-5
Consolation Matches
Lewie Bouman/Quentin Lamothe (ISU) def. Moritz Lesjak/Jake Watkins (UM) 8-5
Sunday, October 6
Semifinals
Victor Sklenka/Valentino De Pellegrin (ISU) def. Fernando Perez/Baltazar Wiger-Nordas (UM) DNP
SINGLES
Friday, October 4
First Round (R32)
Baltazar Wiger-Nordas (UM) vs. BYE
Jake Watkins (UM) def. Caden Kammerer (EWU) 6-3, 7-6 (7-3)
Johnny Wilkinson (UM) def. Otto Schreiner (BYU) 6-3, 6-3
Fernando Perez (UM) vs. BYE
Moritz Lesjak (UM) def. Arshjot Bhatti (EWU) 6-2, 6-2
Dmitri Goubin (USU) def. Duncan McCall (UM) 3-6, 6-1, 6-2
Second Round (R16)
Baltazar Wiger-Nordas (UM) def. David Duong (BYU) 6-1, 6-0
Jowan Rawson (ISU) def. Jake Watkins (UM) 6-1, 6-2
Nicolas Calixto (UU) def. Johnny Wilkinson (UM) 7-6 (7-4), 2-6, 6-4
Fernando Perez (UM) def. Lewie Bouman (ISU) 5-7, 6-4, 6-2
Charles Frey (UU) def. Moritz Lesjak (UM) 6-3, 6-4
Saturday, October 5
Quarterfinals
Baltazar Wiger-Nordas (UM) def. Jowan Rawson (ISU) 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (7-3)
Fernando Perez (UM) def. Nicolas Calixto (UU) 3-6, 6-3, 7-5
Semifinals
Valentino De Pellegrin (ISU) def. Baltazar Wiger-Nordas (UM) 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2
Fernando Perez (UM) def. Dmitri Goubin (USU) 6-4, 6-4
Consolation Matches
Duncan McCall (UM) def. Victor Sklenka (ISU) 6-1, INJ
Sunday, October 6
Championship
Valentino De Pellegrin (ISU) def. Fernando Perez (UM) 6-3, 1-6, 6-1
Perez and junior Baltazar Wiger-Nordas also made it through to the semifinal of the doubles draw, and Wiger-Nordas pushed through to the semifinal of the singles draw as well in a single bracket made up of players from some of the best teams in the region, including BYU, Utah, Utah State, Eastern Washington, and the host Bengals.
All told, UM went 3-4 in doubles and 9-6 in singles, with three Grizzly freshmen and six players overall making the trip from Missoula. Five of the six Grizzlies also picked up wins in the first round of singles.
Perez defeated opponents from Idaho State, Utah, and Utah State to advance to the championship match where he went three sets with ISU No. 1 Valentino De Pellegrin, but lost momentum in a second-set tiebreaker to finish as the tournament's runner-up.
"It was a good tournament and gave us some good information going forward. I was happy to see two guys in the doubles semi and one in the singles final. We kind of got bit by the injury bug a little by the end of the event, which is part of the fall season. It's a chance for us to toughen up for spring. But I continue to be impressed with how these guys conduct themselves on the court," said head coach Jason Brown.
"Fernando played a really solid match against Idaho State's number one player and had some chances in the final, but home court advantage is a real thing, and I think they did a good job taking care of that."
The Bengal Invite was the final tune-up event for the Grizzlies before heading to the premiere event of the fall tournament season – the ITA Mountain Regional, this year held at UNLV in Las Vegas Oct. 17-22.
New this year, the winners of the ITA Mountain Regional tourney singles and doubles draws will automatically qualify for the NCAA Individual championships in Texas this coming November.
Montana will send its top five players to Vegas, with the new format adding extra motivation for the Grizzlies to play their best tennis of the fall.
"The regional tournament is always an exciting opportunity to make a run, and it's an even better format now that making the finals gets you a chance to compete for a national championship. That's a pretty cool reward." said Brown.
"It's the crown jewel of our fall and what we push toward, so we're ready to practice hard this week and see if we can set some records down there."
Idaho State Bengal Invite – Montana Results
DOUBLES
Friday, October 4
First Round (R16)
Fernando Perez/Baltazar Wiger-Nordas (UM) def. Jowan Rawson/Sam Wensley (ISU) 8-4
Duncan McCall/Johnny Wilkinson (UM) def. Lewie Bouman/Quentin Lamothe (ISU) 8-7 (7-5)
Alex Edmonston/Otto Schreiner (BYU) def. Moritz Lesjak/Jake Watkins (UM) 8-1
Saturday, October 5
Quarterfinals
Fernando Perez/Baltazar Wiger-Nordas (UM) def. Nicolas Calixto/Charles Frey (UU) 8-4
Dmitri Goubin/Eliot Nobel (USU) def. Duncan McCall/Johnny Wilkinson (UM) 8-5
Consolation Matches
Lewie Bouman/Quentin Lamothe (ISU) def. Moritz Lesjak/Jake Watkins (UM) 8-5
Sunday, October 6
Semifinals
Victor Sklenka/Valentino De Pellegrin (ISU) def. Fernando Perez/Baltazar Wiger-Nordas (UM) DNP
SINGLES
Friday, October 4
First Round (R32)
Baltazar Wiger-Nordas (UM) vs. BYE
Jake Watkins (UM) def. Caden Kammerer (EWU) 6-3, 7-6 (7-3)
Johnny Wilkinson (UM) def. Otto Schreiner (BYU) 6-3, 6-3
Fernando Perez (UM) vs. BYE
Moritz Lesjak (UM) def. Arshjot Bhatti (EWU) 6-2, 6-2
Dmitri Goubin (USU) def. Duncan McCall (UM) 3-6, 6-1, 6-2
Second Round (R16)
Baltazar Wiger-Nordas (UM) def. David Duong (BYU) 6-1, 6-0
Jowan Rawson (ISU) def. Jake Watkins (UM) 6-1, 6-2
Nicolas Calixto (UU) def. Johnny Wilkinson (UM) 7-6 (7-4), 2-6, 6-4
Fernando Perez (UM) def. Lewie Bouman (ISU) 5-7, 6-4, 6-2
Charles Frey (UU) def. Moritz Lesjak (UM) 6-3, 6-4
Saturday, October 5
Quarterfinals
Baltazar Wiger-Nordas (UM) def. Jowan Rawson (ISU) 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (7-3)
Fernando Perez (UM) def. Nicolas Calixto (UU) 3-6, 6-3, 7-5
Semifinals
Valentino De Pellegrin (ISU) def. Baltazar Wiger-Nordas (UM) 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2
Fernando Perez (UM) def. Dmitri Goubin (USU) 6-4, 6-4
Consolation Matches
Duncan McCall (UM) def. Victor Sklenka (ISU) 6-1, INJ
Sunday, October 6
Championship
Valentino De Pellegrin (ISU) def. Fernando Perez (UM) 6-3, 1-6, 6-1
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
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