Friday, March 22
Boise, Idaho
Noon
Montana
4
vs
0
Idaho
Griz beat Illinois State to finish 2-1 in Boise
3/23/2024 10:14:00 PM | Men's Tennis
The Montana men's tennis team earned a 4-0 win over Illinois State to finish in third place at the Boise State Spring Fling duals tournament at the Eagle Tennis Club in Eagle, Idaho on Saturday night.
Montana went 2-1 at the six team Spring Fling, splitting two matches in pool play and beating ISU in the third/fourth place match.
The Griz opened the tourney by avenging a conference loss to Idaho two weeks ago with a 4-0 win over the Vandals before suffering a 0-4 loss to No. 69 Utah State on Friday. On Saturday, UM won the doubles point and three singles matches to take 4-0 win over the Redbirds to come home with the bronze.
Montana improves to 11-6 after the last three nonconference matches of the year and stays at 1-1 in Big Sky play as the Griz prepare to return home for three-straight league matches.
"We couldn't have asked for a better way to prep for the rest of the conference season. We got three really quality matches. Obviously one against a conference opponent, one against a nationally ranked team, and one against a really good team from the Summit League," said head coach Jason Brown.
Montana 4, Idaho 0
After losing to Idaho in Moscow, the Griz exacted revenge on the Vandals at the neutral site with two wins in doubles and wins on the even singles courts at lines two, four, and six.
The Spanish duo of Fernando Perez and Guillermo Martin clinched the doubles point on court one, with Martin also winning in singles on court four. UM was leading on all six singles courts when the match was clinched by junior Chris Zhang on court six, beating Yu-Shaun Lai in a second set tiebreaker 7-5, 7-6 (3).
"I think it's always easier to make adjustments when you lose, and I feel like we cleaned up the things we did wrong inside the Kibbie Dome. We asked the team before the match is 'that team really better than us, or did they have a home court advantage, and we didn't play our best?' We got our answer," added Brown.
#69 Utah State 4, Montana 0
Montana capped the Friday doubleheader with one of its toughest tests of the season, taking on the No. 69 Utah State Aggies, who improved to 12-2 on the year with the win.
With an eye toward Saturday's matches and an effort to get reps down the lineup, Brown rested Grizzly No. 1 Tom Bittner against the Aggies, but UM didn't miss much of a beat.
Montana won three games in each of the doubles matches, earned two set wins in singles in matches that didn't finish, and sent two more sets to tiebreakers in the 4-0 win for USU played to clinch.
"I thought we played Utah State as tough as possible considering we didn't play our full lineup. That said, I think we gained more confidence out of that loss than any prior win this season," said Brown.
Montana 4, Illinois State 0
The split decisions on Friday for the Griz set up a Saturday showdown with Illinois State, who came to Boise at 12-10 sitting second in the Summit League standings.
Montana got a win in doubles, then fended off a Redbird comeback in singles with three of the six matches going to a third set, but the Griz still coming home with three wins.
"We talked about finishing the rip with momentum going into a home stand with some real important matches, and we got exactly what we wanted. The top of the lineup really stepped up. That was a really good team we beat today, maybe one of our best nonconference wins in the last couple of years.
Montana opened the match with a strong doubles performance, getting a 6-2 win from Baltazar Wiger-Nordas and his partner Moritz Stoeger over ISU's Scarlett/Valencia pair on court three to take the early lead.
Tom Bittner and Chris Zhang clinched the point with a 6-4 win over Arvid Hjalte and Nam Pham on court two 6-4.
UM extended the lead to 3-0 with a pair of straight set wins on courts three and five.
Stoeger used the momentum from some highlight reel shots to get the Grizzlies' first win, beating Emiliano Gonzalez 6-2, 7-5, on court five. Perez followed suit soon after, beating Adrian Dibildox (ISU) 7-5, 6-1, to put the Griz within reach of a win.
But ISU wouldn't go away easily. With four courts still in play, the match was still up for grabs when the Redbirds took first sets on courts one, two and six, forcing UM to play from behind.
Tom Bittner was not about to let his team give up the lead, however. The German clinched the match for the Grizzlies on court one, rebounding from a first set loss to beat Nam Pham with a dominant third set 3-6, 6-4, 6-0, to seal the UM victory.
"Tommy was playing out of his mind in that last set. That was about as clean a set of tennis as I've seen out of someone in a Grizzly uniform for as long as I can remember.
NEXT UP: Montana returns to conference play against Idaho State on March 31 at the Peak Racquet Club in Missoula, with the dual starting at 10:30 a.m.
Boise State Spring Fling – Montana Results
Match 1
Montana (10-5) def. Idaho (3-9) 4-0
Doubles (Order of finish: 3,1)
1. Fernando Perez/Guillermo Martin (UM) def. Alex Asenov/Sebastian Medica (UI) 6-4
2. Tom Bittner/Chris Zhang (UM) vs. Taiyo Kurata/Francisco Gay (UI) 5-5 DNF
3. Moritz Stoeger/Baltazar Wiger-Nordas (UM) def. Yu-Shun Lai/Matteo Masala (UI) 6-3
Singles (Order of finish: 2,4,6)
1. Tom Bittner (UM) vs. Francisco Gay (UI) 6-4, 5-5 DNF
2. Baltazar Wiger-Nordas (UM) def. Taiyo Kurata (UI) 6-1, 6-4
3. Fernando Perez (UM) vs. Matteo Masala (UI) 3-6, 6-0, 0-1 DNF
4. Guillermo Martin (UM) def. Sebastian Medica (UI) 6-1, 6-3
5. Moritz Stoeger (UM) vs. Mario Duron (UI) 6-4, 4-6, 2-1 DNF
6. Chris Zhang (UM) def. Yu-Shun Lai (UI) 7-5, 7-6(3)
Match 2
#69 Utah State (12-2) def. Montana (10-6) 4-0
Doubles (Order of finish: 2,3)
1. Guillermo Martin/Fernando Perez (UM) vs. Stijn Paardekooper/Nuno Pinheiro (USU) 3-5 DNF
2. Sergi Mico Fenollar/Bodin Zarkovic (USU) def. Dragos Bucurescu/Chris Zhang (UM) 6-3
3. Mohammad Alkotop/David Martirosian (USU) def. Moritz Stoeger/Baltazar Wiger-Nordas (UM) 6-3
Singles (Order of finish: 2,6,4)
1. Baltazar Wiger-Nordas (UM) vs. Bodin Zarkovic (USU) 7-6(1), 5-6 DNF
2. Stijn Paardekooper (USU) def. Fernando Perez (UM) 6-4, 6-1
3. Sergi Mico Fenollar (USU) vs. Guillermo Martin (UM) 7-6(5), 5-4 DNF
4. Mohammad Alkotop (USU) def. Moritz Stoeger (UM) 7-5, 6-4
5. Chris Zhang (UM) vs. Rein Phillip (USU) 3-6, 6-3, 2-5 DNF
6. David Martirosian (USU) def. Dragos Bucurescu (UM) 6-4, 7-6
Match 3 | Third/Fourth Place Match
Montana (11-6) def. Illinois State (12-10) 4-0
Doubles (Order of finish: 3,1)
1. Fernando Perez/Guillermo Martin (UM) vs. Tin Ostro/Emiliano Gonzalez (ISU) 4-4 DNF
2. Tom Bittner/Chris Zhang (UM) def. Arvid Hjalte/Nam Pham (ISU) 6-4
3. Baltazar Wiger-Nordas/Moritz Stoeger (UM) def. Caden Scarlett/Tomas Valencia (ISU) 6-2
Singles (Order of finish: 5,3,1)
1. Tom Bittner (UM) def. Nam Pham (ISU) 3-6, 6-4, 6-0
2. Baltazar Wiger-Nordas (UM) vs. Arvid Hjalte (ISU) 5-7, 7-6(5), 2-2 DNF
3. Fernando Perez (UM) def. Adrian Dibildox (ISU) 7-5, 6-1
4. Guillermo Martin (UM) vs. Tomas Valencia (ISU) 6-3, 4-6, 3-4 DNF
5. Moritz Stoeger (UM) def. Emiliano Gonzalez (ISU) 6-2, 7-5
6. Chris Zhang (UM) vs. Tin Ostro (ISU) 5-7, 6-3, 2-3 DNF
Montana went 2-1 at the six team Spring Fling, splitting two matches in pool play and beating ISU in the third/fourth place match.
The Griz opened the tourney by avenging a conference loss to Idaho two weeks ago with a 4-0 win over the Vandals before suffering a 0-4 loss to No. 69 Utah State on Friday. On Saturday, UM won the doubles point and three singles matches to take 4-0 win over the Redbirds to come home with the bronze.
Montana improves to 11-6 after the last three nonconference matches of the year and stays at 1-1 in Big Sky play as the Griz prepare to return home for three-straight league matches.
"We couldn't have asked for a better way to prep for the rest of the conference season. We got three really quality matches. Obviously one against a conference opponent, one against a nationally ranked team, and one against a really good team from the Summit League," said head coach Jason Brown.
Montana 4, Idaho 0
After losing to Idaho in Moscow, the Griz exacted revenge on the Vandals at the neutral site with two wins in doubles and wins on the even singles courts at lines two, four, and six.
The Spanish duo of Fernando Perez and Guillermo Martin clinched the doubles point on court one, with Martin also winning in singles on court four. UM was leading on all six singles courts when the match was clinched by junior Chris Zhang on court six, beating Yu-Shaun Lai in a second set tiebreaker 7-5, 7-6 (3).
"I think it's always easier to make adjustments when you lose, and I feel like we cleaned up the things we did wrong inside the Kibbie Dome. We asked the team before the match is 'that team really better than us, or did they have a home court advantage, and we didn't play our best?' We got our answer," added Brown.
#69 Utah State 4, Montana 0
Montana capped the Friday doubleheader with one of its toughest tests of the season, taking on the No. 69 Utah State Aggies, who improved to 12-2 on the year with the win.
With an eye toward Saturday's matches and an effort to get reps down the lineup, Brown rested Grizzly No. 1 Tom Bittner against the Aggies, but UM didn't miss much of a beat.
Montana won three games in each of the doubles matches, earned two set wins in singles in matches that didn't finish, and sent two more sets to tiebreakers in the 4-0 win for USU played to clinch.
"I thought we played Utah State as tough as possible considering we didn't play our full lineup. That said, I think we gained more confidence out of that loss than any prior win this season," said Brown.
Montana 4, Illinois State 0
The split decisions on Friday for the Griz set up a Saturday showdown with Illinois State, who came to Boise at 12-10 sitting second in the Summit League standings.
Montana got a win in doubles, then fended off a Redbird comeback in singles with three of the six matches going to a third set, but the Griz still coming home with three wins.
"We talked about finishing the rip with momentum going into a home stand with some real important matches, and we got exactly what we wanted. The top of the lineup really stepped up. That was a really good team we beat today, maybe one of our best nonconference wins in the last couple of years.
Montana opened the match with a strong doubles performance, getting a 6-2 win from Baltazar Wiger-Nordas and his partner Moritz Stoeger over ISU's Scarlett/Valencia pair on court three to take the early lead.
Tom Bittner and Chris Zhang clinched the point with a 6-4 win over Arvid Hjalte and Nam Pham on court two 6-4.
UM extended the lead to 3-0 with a pair of straight set wins on courts three and five.
Stoeger used the momentum from some highlight reel shots to get the Grizzlies' first win, beating Emiliano Gonzalez 6-2, 7-5, on court five. Perez followed suit soon after, beating Adrian Dibildox (ISU) 7-5, 6-1, to put the Griz within reach of a win.
But ISU wouldn't go away easily. With four courts still in play, the match was still up for grabs when the Redbirds took first sets on courts one, two and six, forcing UM to play from behind.
Tom Bittner was not about to let his team give up the lead, however. The German clinched the match for the Grizzlies on court one, rebounding from a first set loss to beat Nam Pham with a dominant third set 3-6, 6-4, 6-0, to seal the UM victory.
"Tommy was playing out of his mind in that last set. That was about as clean a set of tennis as I've seen out of someone in a Grizzly uniform for as long as I can remember.
NEXT UP: Montana returns to conference play against Idaho State on March 31 at the Peak Racquet Club in Missoula, with the dual starting at 10:30 a.m.
Boise State Spring Fling – Montana Results
Match 1
Montana (10-5) def. Idaho (3-9) 4-0
Doubles (Order of finish: 3,1)
1. Fernando Perez/Guillermo Martin (UM) def. Alex Asenov/Sebastian Medica (UI) 6-4
2. Tom Bittner/Chris Zhang (UM) vs. Taiyo Kurata/Francisco Gay (UI) 5-5 DNF
3. Moritz Stoeger/Baltazar Wiger-Nordas (UM) def. Yu-Shun Lai/Matteo Masala (UI) 6-3
Singles (Order of finish: 2,4,6)
1. Tom Bittner (UM) vs. Francisco Gay (UI) 6-4, 5-5 DNF
2. Baltazar Wiger-Nordas (UM) def. Taiyo Kurata (UI) 6-1, 6-4
3. Fernando Perez (UM) vs. Matteo Masala (UI) 3-6, 6-0, 0-1 DNF
4. Guillermo Martin (UM) def. Sebastian Medica (UI) 6-1, 6-3
5. Moritz Stoeger (UM) vs. Mario Duron (UI) 6-4, 4-6, 2-1 DNF
6. Chris Zhang (UM) def. Yu-Shun Lai (UI) 7-5, 7-6(3)
Match 2
#69 Utah State (12-2) def. Montana (10-6) 4-0
Doubles (Order of finish: 2,3)
1. Guillermo Martin/Fernando Perez (UM) vs. Stijn Paardekooper/Nuno Pinheiro (USU) 3-5 DNF
2. Sergi Mico Fenollar/Bodin Zarkovic (USU) def. Dragos Bucurescu/Chris Zhang (UM) 6-3
3. Mohammad Alkotop/David Martirosian (USU) def. Moritz Stoeger/Baltazar Wiger-Nordas (UM) 6-3
Singles (Order of finish: 2,6,4)
1. Baltazar Wiger-Nordas (UM) vs. Bodin Zarkovic (USU) 7-6(1), 5-6 DNF
2. Stijn Paardekooper (USU) def. Fernando Perez (UM) 6-4, 6-1
3. Sergi Mico Fenollar (USU) vs. Guillermo Martin (UM) 7-6(5), 5-4 DNF
4. Mohammad Alkotop (USU) def. Moritz Stoeger (UM) 7-5, 6-4
5. Chris Zhang (UM) vs. Rein Phillip (USU) 3-6, 6-3, 2-5 DNF
6. David Martirosian (USU) def. Dragos Bucurescu (UM) 6-4, 7-6
Match 3 | Third/Fourth Place Match
Montana (11-6) def. Illinois State (12-10) 4-0
Doubles (Order of finish: 3,1)
1. Fernando Perez/Guillermo Martin (UM) vs. Tin Ostro/Emiliano Gonzalez (ISU) 4-4 DNF
2. Tom Bittner/Chris Zhang (UM) def. Arvid Hjalte/Nam Pham (ISU) 6-4
3. Baltazar Wiger-Nordas/Moritz Stoeger (UM) def. Caden Scarlett/Tomas Valencia (ISU) 6-2
Singles (Order of finish: 5,3,1)
1. Tom Bittner (UM) def. Nam Pham (ISU) 3-6, 6-4, 6-0
2. Baltazar Wiger-Nordas (UM) vs. Arvid Hjalte (ISU) 5-7, 7-6(5), 2-2 DNF
3. Fernando Perez (UM) def. Adrian Dibildox (ISU) 7-5, 6-1
4. Guillermo Martin (UM) vs. Tomas Valencia (ISU) 6-3, 4-6, 3-4 DNF
5. Moritz Stoeger (UM) def. Emiliano Gonzalez (ISU) 6-2, 7-5
6. Chris Zhang (UM) vs. Tin Ostro (ISU) 5-7, 6-3, 2-3 DNF
Team Stats
#1 Doubles Match
#2 Doubles Match
#3 Doubles Match
Order of Finish:
3,1
#1 Singles Match
123
Francisco Gay / 0 [IDAHO]
45UF
65UF
#2 Singles Match
12
Taiyo Kurata / 0 [IDAHO]
14
66
#3 Singles Match
1234
Matteo Masala / 0 [IDAHO]
601UF
360UF
#4 Singles Match
12
Sebastian Medica / 0 [IDAHO]
13
66
#5 Singles Match
1234
Mario Duron / 0 [IDAHO]
461UF
642UF
#6 Singles Match
12
Yu-Shun Lai / 0 [IDAHO]
56
77
Order of Finish:
2,4,6
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
/ Men's Tennis
Griz Volleyball Press Conference - 9/8/25
Tuesday, September 09
Griz Football vs. Central Washington Highlights - 9/6/25
Tuesday, September 09
Griz Football Press Conference - 9/8/25
Monday, September 08
Griz Football vs. Central Washington Press Conference - 9/6/25
Monday, September 08
