Yellowjacket Tennis Split Wins (Mar. 16, 2005)

Denver, CO- Coming back from a loss against Colorado College on Thursday was on the minds of the Lady Jackets tennis team.  The women did just that, cruising to 7-2 win over Metropolitan State Friday, March 11^th in Denver.  After a tie-break victory for the men the previous day, they were plagued once again by the inability to close out matches, falling 2-7 to the Roadrunners at Metro State.

The match against the Roadrunners concluded the Lady Jackets week-long spring break tour.  Freshman Marta Borges (Fr., Lisbon, Portugal) finished the week with seven points won, leading the Jackets.  Tia Smith’s (So., Idaho Falls, ID) cold virus caught up with her after battling it all week making Smith unable to play in her singles match, accounting for one of two Roadrunner points.

“The girls put their best play together for the season thus far in their defeat against Metro State,” said head coach Jerry Peach.  “The women’s team has a strong group identity and is unified to playing the best they can.”  “There is strong support from each player as to the goal of winning each team match.”  “We will see improvement from this talented crew as the season continues,” added Peach.

Seth Maristuen (Jr., Havre, MT) playing in the number six position earned the Jackets their only singles point in the match.  In doubles play Brian Kasid (Jr., Chaska, MN) and teammate Sean O’Daniel (Sr., Miles City, MT) contributed in the number three position, but the rest of the team failed to put enough points together for the win.

“Half of the sets in singles went deep into the score and the doubles was well played, but not good enough to gain the points needed to defeat the Roadrunners,” said Peach.  “It was obvious following the match that the men’s team is up to the challenge.”  “At the same time, it is clear that the play needed to turn this around was not being completed,” Peach added.

Friday March 11, 10 a.m.

MSUB 7, Metro 2

Women Singles
1. Brianne Roney (MSUB) def. Sarah Spence, 6-2, 7-6
2. Becky Fry (MSUB) def. Jackie Coppola, 6-0, 6-4
3. Nikki Byrnes (MSUB) def. Tia Mahoney, 6-2, 6-1
4. Heidi Lehman (MSUB) def. Akiko Kinoshita, 6-4, 6-0
5. Marta Borges (MSUB) def. Christine Knutson, 6-0, 6-1
6. Patricia Eastwood def. Tia Smith (MSUB), default

Women Doubles
1. Roney/Lehman (MSUB) def. Mahoney/Coppola, 8-5
2. Spence/Kinoshita def. Fry/Byrnes (MSUB), 8-6
3. Borges/Smith (MSUB) def. Knutson/Eastwood, 8-1

Friday March 11, 10 a.m.

MSUB 2, Metro 7

Men Singles
1. Andre Nilsson def. Paco Sanchez (MSUB), 6-2, 6-0
2. James Schumacher def. Sergio Diaz (MSUB), 6-4, 6-0
3. Riley Meyer def. Kellen Malone (MSUB), 2-6, 6-4, 7-6
4. Will Meyer def. Ryan Smith (MSUB), 6-3, 7-6
5. Adam Fowler def. Sean O’Daniel (MSUB), 6-0, 7-5
6. Seth Maristuen (MSUB) def. Flanigan, 6-1, 6-1

Men Doubles
1. Nilsson/Schumacher def. Sanchez/Diaz (MSUB), 8-5
2. Meyer/Meyer def. Malone/Smith (MSUB), 8-2
3. O’Daniel/Kasid (MSUB) def. Fowler/Radcliff, 8-3